Water and air quality

Water for bathing

Three beaches are monitored and supervised (Chef de Baie, Les Minimes, La Concurrence).
Bathing water quality monitoring is carried out in the summer season, generally between June 15th and the beginning of September. Sampling is done by the departmental laboratory; the results are transmitted to the DDASS which then sends them to the mayor.
At the end of the 2007 summer season, the beach of Chef de Baie was classified in category A (good quality) and the beaches of Les Minimes and La Concurrence in category B (average quality).
To view the results during the summer season:
http://baignades.sante.gouv.fr/htm/baignades/departement/fr_choix_com.jsp?dptddass=017
The beach of la Concurrence, situated in an urban zone is sensitive and vulnerable. What is more the rainwater basin which pours into the bay covers around 50% of the city and surrounding communes. In case of a storm following a dry period, the waters of this beach are liable to be polluted. The city of La Rochelle is in consultation with the departments of the CDA to find a system of alert which would enable the beach to be closed preventively to give bathers a better guarantee.

Quality of drinking water

Human consumption represents less than 1% of the various uses of water. Yet water quality standards have been drawn up to satisfy this usage. The City of LA ROCHELLE's tap water was tested in 299 analyses during 2006.
Water quality testing carried out at LA ROCHELLE boils down to:

• Official monitoring (regulation obligatory monitoring carried out by the departments of the D.D.A.S.S.) corresponding to the transiting of the water:
• Sanitary self-supervision (carried out by the Water Department in the capacity of manager) which involves:
  •  23 complete analyses of the raw water from the sources (8 times more than the number of official analyses);
  • 6 extra analyses of water stored in the reservoirs;
  • monitoring of the bacteriological quality of the water distributed (96 analyses per year) in addition to the official monitoring;
  • continuous measurement of the nitrate content of the resources and treated water;
  • continuous measurement of chlorine in treatment stations, and residual chlorine in the distribution network;
  • monitoring for pesticides in the water.
  • Water undergoes continuous draconian control from its source in nature all the way to the consumer's tap.

Air quality:

The quality of the air in Greater La Rochelle is monitored by the association Atmo Poitou Charente.
http://www.atmo-poitou-charentes.org/
Procedures for informing and alerting the public are in place to limit public exposure in case of significant episodes of pollution. The pollutants covered by this procedure are sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen (NO2), ozone (O3) and particulate pollution.
In case of an alert the population is warned by press release from the prefecture of Charente Maritime. The city of La Rochelle and its Public Health and Environmental Hygiene Department relay the information from the Prefecture to different bodies (crèches and childminding centres, retirement homes, places taking in children).
Information bulletins indicate the pollutant concentration levels and also include recommendations for susceptible persons.