Water theft causes argument between France and Switzerland

Last week thousands litres of water were taken by the Swiss Air Force out of a French lake. The water was used to supply Swiss cows in the Jura in the Alps with drinking water. The Jura is suffering from drought and is forced to gain drinking water with helicopters from lakes. The Swiss Air Force chose to get the water from the closest lake, which happened to be French.

The French authorities were not aware of this operation until tourists saw Swiss helicopters gaining water in Lac des Rousses. They were using orange water tanks attached with ropes. The mayor of the French town was angry because the Swiss authorities did not ask permission. Moreover, the water use citizens of the French town is restricted because of the drought.

Apologies
‘The Swiss are stealing French water for Swiss cows’, published Le Parisien. According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung the Swiss Air Force apologised for their behaviour after the incident. The Swiss cows are not yet drinking from their new supply of water. Cows need time to get accustomed to a new source of drinking water. One cow can be drinking 150 litres on a warm day.