According to the report from the official Office français de la biodiversité (OFB) domestic drinking water and mains sewerage charges in France average a shade over €500 a year.

They estimate that for an annual consumption averaging 120/m³, the bill averages €4.34/m³. That is a small increase on 2022 (€4.30/m³), but prices have remained relatively stable over the past 5 years.

The total charge of €4.34/m³ breaks down as being €2.13/m³ for water and €2.21/m³ for mains sewerage. Taxes (notably VAT) account for 23% of the total.

Inevitably there are variations across the country: for 80% of the population the charge for drinking water is between €1.60/m³ and €2.74/m³ and the charge for collective sanitation between €1.42/m³ and €3.17/m³.

Brittany (€5.01/m³) and Hauts-de-France (€4.84/m³) have the highest average charges, whilst lowest average charges are in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (€3.80/m³) and Occitanie (€3.92/m³).

Nevertheless, these different charges do not necessarily reflect the bills faced by households each year, which depend on actual consumption.

Thus, although charges in Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’azur may be the lowest, households in the region pay a total bill of upwards of €600 a year. Bills are similarly high in the Ile-de-France. Conversely, in Grand Est bills average around €450 a year.

And for the around 5 million households that do not have main drains connection, there is no sewerage charge, although they need to pay for regular emptying and servicing of their septic tank and the statutory inspections that are carried out from time to time.

The report from the OFB states that around one-third of septic tank installations that have been inspected are non-compliant.

Water and drainage services in France are provided locally, either through the local commune or through an inter-communal body.

In most cases local parishes have responsibility for drainage services, whilst an inter-communal runs water services. Under government plans, by 2026 both services will be under the tutelage of the intercommunalité.

At a national level, there are also six mainland statutory water agencies, responsible for management of water capacity and pollution control.