Water Distribution Areas (WAZ) — France

A Water Distribution Area (WAZ) is an area comprising basins, sub-basins, aquifer systems or fractions thereof characterised by a lack of resources, other than exceptional, relative to needs.

The ERAs are defined by Article R211-71 of the Environmental Code and are set by the prefect co-ordinating basin.
The decree issued by the department prefects concerned translates the ZRE into a list of municipalities. This decree is the founding regulatory text of the ZRE.

In an ERA, the thresholds for authorisation and reporting of sampling in both surface and groundwater are lowered. These provisions are intended to enable better control of the demand for water, in order to best ensure the preservation of aquatic ecosystems and the reconciliation of economic uses of water. In an ERA, water withdrawals exceeding 8 m³/h are subject to authorisation and all others are subject to reporting.