Ardennes: Why the Inhabitants of this Town Should Definitely Not Drink Tap Water

HEALTH RISK: In Machault, recent water analyzes revealed an anomaly. Since yesterday, residents have been advised to boil their water before consuming it

Machault town hall (Ardennes) raised the alarm through the Panel Pocket app. Since September 9, 2025, citizens must exercise the greatest caution when consuming tap water, according to the ardennes.

In particular, they are recommended to “not drink, prepare food or brush their teeth without boiling tap water one minute beforehand”. An instruction that it is advisable to take very seriously.

A bacteria causing the alert

The cause is contamination of the water supply network by enterococci, bacteria likely to cause serious infections in humans, particularly intestinal infections. A health threat that the mayor of the town, Chantal Pierrot, hopes to stem as quickly as possible. Residents will also be the first to know as soon as the situation returns to normal.

The town hall press release specifies that “the water remains usable for other uses, such as bathing, showering or washing dishes, provided you rinse well”. For its part, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) recommends that residents of the commune of Machault “clean the water tank and its network”.