Water, water, everywhere. And now you’re in charge of it
Our village runs its water supply. What comes out of our taps originates in the water table within the area of the village, it’s pumped up from two boreholes and then treated and distributed through a system of pipes over 5km long. It’s pretty different from where I used to live, where everything was done by a privatised company that made over £300 million in 2025 and still discharged raw sewage into rivers.
So. Much. Democracy.
Democracy in France is vast and complicated. With around 35000 communes - each with their own mayor and elected councillors - there is a considerable proportion of the population involved in making the rules, taking decisions and making things work.
Plan Communal de Sauvegarde
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. But when there’s a crisis? Well, there’s a crisis plan. Meet our Plan Communal de Sauvegarde - and find out how we have been trained how to use it. Being an elected councillor doesn’t let you off the hook - sure the village employees get trained, but so do the elected representatives of the village. It’s not for show - with power comes responsibility.
Electoral reflections
French democracy is precious. And it’s not just for show. Even a tiny village has a decent budget. And if you’re going to be managing everything from the water supply to the school meals, you need training. So it’s good to know that elected councillors in France have an automatic right to an annual budget for training relating to their role.
the diary of a village councillor