Water connection

[Brian]

Hi Kit,

Water is, indeed, a bit of an essential for modern living  

• Eaux de Vienne are the local water suppliers. Their web site is pretty hopeless. They have been promising a new 'consumer-focused website' for a year or two now, but it still hasn't appeared. I think you'd be better calling into their local office or phoning them.
  
  
• It'll be difficult or impossible to arrange water supply without a recognised French address. Could you ask at the Mairie? They will almost certainly have an address for the wreck/building/plot as appropriate!
  
  
• You're right on both counts - there is a standing charge (we pay about 70€/year for standing charge, plus about 1.50€/m cubed (so 0.0015€/litre) plus around 25€ for various charges for anti-pollution, water conservation etc)
  
  
• I don't know the legal position regarding drainage - this would be a good question for your notaire. However, it is the law that waste water from households has to be disposed of in an allowed manner - basically assainissement non-collectif (a microstation or fosse toutes-eaux) or assainissement collectif  ('mains drainage'). Here's what Eaux de Vienne have to say about assainissement non-collectif.
  

Don't be alarmed - this is all perfectly doable!
Do you have a timescale for making the place habitable?

Good luck!
Brian