PLF 2025 and ecological planning: water sector professionals denounce inconsistencies

The Water Plan was established as a priority of the Government's ecological planning. However, this same Government has decided to perpetuate the bad habit of using the revenues of the Water Agencies to feed the State budget.

Funding for Water Agencies promised in the Water Plan postponed by one year

The 2024 Finance Act provided for an increase in the Water Agencies' revenue ceiling of €175 million for 2025, compared to 2024. However, the 2025 Finance Act postpones the allocation of this additional €175 million to 2026, thus keeping the "biting" ceiling at the same level as in 2024, i.e. €2,3 billion vs. the €2,5 billion promised by the Water Plan. It should be remembered that the so-called biting ceiling system consists of setting a maximum amount of revenue for the Water Agencies, with everything above the ceiling being directly transferred to the State budget.

A “surprise” amendment, a new hold-up on the Water Agencies

Furthermore, among the 18 amendments tabled by the Government currently under examination, amendment no. I-3340 proposes an exceptional levy of 130 million euros from the treasury of the Water Agencies.

Annual contribution from Water Agencies earmarked for OFB still on the rise

Furthermore, the contribution of Water Agencies to the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) continues to increase. The 2025 Finance Bill is part of this trend, providing for a contribution from Water Agencies of between 418 and 465 million euros, compared to 402 million euros in 2024.

At a time when the Government has presented the third National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC-3) which provides for a strengthening of the Water Plan, these various deductions and contributions, in complete inconsistency with the political will displayed, are all unkept promises.

They ignore the founding and virtuous principle of water policy in France, through the fee, "water pays for water", knowing that water also pays for biodiversity and, worse, contributes to the general budget of the State via the biting ceiling and this project of levy on the treasury of the Water Agencies.

They reduce resources for local authorities, vital to enable them to adapt to climate change, while an annual deficit of 4,6 billion euros in investment in the water sector was highlighted by the recent study commissioned by the UIE.

Finally, they potentially undermine urban-rural solidarity, a principle of equalization for which the Water Agencies are a strong vector.

While the resources allocated under the Water Plan are already insufficient to meet the necessary renewal of our infrastructure, and the challenges of quantity and quality of the resource, water funding is therefore still being cut off from part of its resources.