A-Infos (en) France, OCL CA #345 - "Els Brulls" in the Catalan Pyrenees: water against concrete (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

It is with the background sound of a small fountain, so characteristic 
of the villages of this region of the Pyrenees, that we interview 
members of the collective "Els Brulls". We are in French Catalonia, 
north of the Canigou massif, near Prades, in the department of Pyrénées 
Orientales (PO), a region particularly affected by drought in recent 
years. The collective explains to us how the problems of water, 
agricultural land and concreting are linked, and presents us with the 
struggles to face them collectively.

Can you describe the situation of water distribution, urbanization and 
agricultural land in the PO?

We are here in a Mediterranean climate, and rainfall depends on the 
masses of water that come from the ocean, the sea, and the snow cover of 
the mountains, which means that we have a lot of water in the spring, 
when the snow melts, and less at other times of the year. But recently, 
there is less and less snow and storms, because the air masses are no 
longer cooling down, due to global warming. There is therefore no longer 
any balance between more or less good seasons. The level of rivers and 
water tables has therefore dropped by 40% since the 1970s: we can no 
longer cope.
In 2022 we had a maximum level of drought decreed by the prefecture, 
whose "drought committee" decreed very restrictive rules, which in 
particular hit those who do subsistence farming and individual vegetable 
gardens. Water is transported by a system of canals, by gravity, for 
fields and gardens. With the drought, they have greatly reduced the use 
of these canals for individuals and small irrigators. In a rather poor 
territory, it was a big problem for those who depend on it. 
Psychologically, the drought plus the restrictions, such as the ban on 
watering one's vegetable garden (from the decree of June 15, while golf 
courses still had the right to water the greens...), it was hard for 
many residents. It had a social impact well beyond the convinced 
ecologists who "pay attention". Some reactions took place (protests by 
residents within the municipalities), and obviously people circumvented 
the ban.
If we continue the water's journey, it then arrives in the tributaries 
of the Têt (a small river that flows into the Mediterranean) and goes to 
the Roussillon plain where it is used by arboriculturists, breeders, and 
farmers. The water from the tributaries of the Têt is necessary for the 
treatment plants of the towns on the plain. Without this water, there is 
a risk that a majority of polluted or used water compared to healthy 
water will be discharged into the Têt and then into the sea, and 
therefore goodbye to the blue flag (bathing permit) and the tourist 
economy. The restrictions to maintain a sufficient flow for the bathing 
economy, that's our interpretation. The prefecture's drought committee 
will say that it's for the fish in the river. But they have not touched 
the tourist economy, while in Barcelona in the same situation they have 
reduced the number of beds for tourism, by no longer issuing new tourist 
accommodation licenses, and by implementing new anti-Airbnb regulations.
Tourism and agriculture are the two mainstays of the department. For 
their part, arboriculturists will say that they use little water 
compared to other agricultural sectors; but they give figures smoothed 
over the year while the problem is concentrated on a few critical weeks 
in summer, in addition to a lot of pressure in the ski resorts in winter.

What is the link with the urbanization of agricultural land?

The effects of drought are increased by land development (tourism, 
urbanization, artificialization, influx of retirees, etc.). In the PO, 
it is one of the only places in France where real estate prices have not 
fallen, because it is a major place for second homes as well as 
middle-class retirements. The pressure on water is therefore aggravated 
by the high pressure on land (swimming pools, etc.).
Historical owners sell their land to developers to ensure an income. 
This is linked to the struggles we are waging against concreting because 
there is a high pressure on land, and therefore less and less 
agricultural land. Farmers who have worked their entire lives on their 
land expect developers to buy it at a maximum price at the end of their 
career rather than selling to potential young buyers.
The logic of construction is to build first where it is flat, because it 
is easier to urbanize. This is a new fact because historically, flat 
lands were left to agriculture, and villages were established in steeper 
places. There is a project to start implementing 'zero net 
artificialization' by 2030, but everyone is starting to look for 
exemptions. In addition, people are rushing to file a building permit 
before 2030...
In fact, everything is linked, because the more houses are built, the 
more roads and infrastructure are needed, the more sewage treatment 
plants... The last PLUI (Intercommunal Local Urban Plan) of Cerdagne, an 
adjacent territory, was rejected because of the insufficient capacity of 
its wastewater treatment plant (no water = no building permit). And it 
is the bourgeois of Perpignan, who have a second home there, who 
financed the legal attack to prevent additional constructions from 
degrading their beautiful landscape, and therefore the price of their 
house...
The solution that is proposed to us, to continue as usual, would be to 
go and get water from the Rhone (1) or desalination! It is a 
technological response to an environmental and political problem.

What are the different collectives that are fighting on these issues in 
the region, and when and how were they born?

At the departmental level, collectives came together in 2021 within the 
"Viure" coordination ("to live" in Catalan (2)), after a demonstration 
called by the "Els Brulls" collective. These collectives are fighting on 
different terrains: wind turbines, agricultural land, agrivoltaics, road 
development projects, etc.
We are in a territory that has a history in terms of environmental 
struggle: naturalists, such as those from the Charles-Flahault 
association (at the origin of the Federation of Catalan Nature 
Reserves), played a role in the abandonment of the ski slope project on 
the Mantet site, thanks to their request for the creation of a nature 
reserve to be studied, following a scientific study (3). Let us also 
mention the members of the GPRENC (4), who define themselves as 
"excursionists", a Catalan regionalist movement that is reinterested in 
the language, culture, local history, and claims to belong to and 
protect the mountains.
There is a very strong Catalan identity locally, including on the part 
of people who are not from here. So it is not something innate. 
Moreover, it is those who most claim to have an innate Catalan identity 
who are leading the country to massacre. Their software is to use the 
earth as a material and not as a place to live.
But to return to the struggles, there are environmental battles that are 
part of a history, but the fight against concreting is more recent. "Els 
Brulls", named after the 30-hectare sector that was the subject of an 
urban development project, in Codalet, near Prades, is about ten years 
old. It was a project of the "comcom" (community of communes) of Prades, 
of a certain Jean Castex, to concrete these irrigated agricultural lands 
to create an activity zone and housing while there were already 
developed spaces not used by companies, always with the blackmail 
argument of job creation...

What actions have been taken on these issues, with what results?

"Els Brulls" were created with a great dynamic against this particular 
project, with people who arrived in the region, people who have lived 
there for a long time, and those who have been campaigning there for 
over 40 years. Among the members, some had professional or activist 
expertise to be able to carry out a counter-investigation on this 
project. There was a film, we went to the valleys... We put together a 
very 'institutional' file with a slide show presented by force (because 
they did not want to receive us) in front of the mayors of the "comcom" 
after a big demonstration of 250 people... In terms of communication, it 
was really very strong: citizen but very professional.
It was an old municipal project that had been dragging on for 30 years, 
and in the end we wonder if it is not thanks to us that Castex finally 
managed to get out of it... But it contributed to our reputation. The 
opposition to this project is our historic action, which lasted at least 
2 years. This first victory made us known and gave us legitimacy. 
Afterwards, when people contact us, we relay it and we have credibility, 
as well as a large network.
Then, there was a lot of work on the PLUI, where we rotted the mayors 
and the deputies delegated to the community of communes in all the 
meetings where they were. This is where we see that consultation is 
shit: there is no debate, no exchange, no expertise. It is just so that 
we can let off steam!
In 2022, we organized with the collective a rally against the 
subdivision in Codalet, and the rally decided to move to the location of 
the subdivision. There, bales of straw were on the road, which blocked 
access to the Pablo Casals festival, an annual music festival, posh, 
which is held in an abbey. The cops took identities at random, and then 
there were convictions to citizenship courses. A trial took place, 
because the convicts refused the course. In the end we won because the 
arrests were not justified: the lawyers dropped the prosecution's 
accusations. The lawyers' fees (more than 5,000 euros) were paid for by 
a support evening with a concert, it was magnificent. We were upset.
We do poster campaigns all the time, with a counter-argument targeting 
elected officials. We never stop calling them out as soon as there is a 
project. Mayors don't want to have to be accountable to residents all 
the time. And since we are credible, whistleblowers, people forward 
information to us, including information that should not be released.

How does the local population perceive the mobilization?

The local population is quite divided. There is a large mass that 
doesn't care, while the "alternatives" are very much in it. In the 
rallies that we call, we see a lot of neo-rurals, but we perhaps have 
little impact on the populations of the housing estates. In the 
territory, we still see banners, placards, graffiti..., against 
concreting. It still concerns people. Every time there is a development 
problem, people come to see our collective. When people call us, we 
advise them for contacts, we help them with the PLUI, but we don't do it 
for them: we pass it on. On the other hand, in Marquixanes (towards 
Perpignan), the collective that fights against the diversion of the road 
is "anti-Brulls", because we are not in consensus.
It is different for the question of water, which affects the inhabitants 
much more. The meetings called by the municipality were very well 
attended, we feel that people need to talk about it. When we held the 
first popular assembly on water, we saw people that we don't usually 
see. The theme of water is more unifying, less divisive than concreting. 
When there were drought crises, villages that no longer had water were 
supplied by tankers and bottles. It was a real shock for people to say 
to themselves 'we live in France, and we don't have drinking water'. In 
addition, water is really structuring for the territory: there are two 
watersheds (the Têt and Tech valleys), and people talk about the valley 
in which they live to define themselves.

Are there any prospects for struggle or important deadlines in the future?

We continue to monitor. As soon as there is a movement in the area, we 
are united. Future projects also depend on stupid projects!
But at the moment, our big work is the popular water assembly: we bring 
people together, in all the valleys, to talk about sharing water. We 
consider that it is not taboo, that it should not be reserved for the 
elites. We talk about canals, but also about drinking water, because 
many villages have kept their own management, and are very happy to keep 
this prerogative. In Prades, it is a large community management. We were 
told that it would be managed by the community council, with a merger of 
the different management bodies, which would have strengthened the 
private actors already established locally, but this national desire was 
fortunately rejected (5). We are trying to stimulate a collective 
response to sharing water, because everyone feels alone in their 
village. We will see what comes out of it!

What are your links with Earth Uprisings (SDLT)?

In the region, a large rally against Lafarge and concrete had been 
planned by the SDLT in 2023 in Port-La Nouvelle, in Aude. Local groups 
had called for support, but the prefecture cancelled the rally and it 
fell through. Too bad, because we were happy to have "our" SDLT rally! 
What we see on the A69, etc., makes you want to go. People from here go 
there regularly, first out of historical sympathy for the struggle at 
Notre-Dame-des-Lande.
We are aware of the criticism of the SLDT, but we would have liked to 
have more strength and visibility in our local actions, to carry out a 
'punch' action. The SDLT are very strong in the form in which they fight.
Members of the "Brulls" participate in the SDLT group of the PO, but as 
individuals. We work with them in the "Viure" coordination. But we have 
no link with the national level, there is no steering.

Interview by Pain 2 Glace, special correspondent in the Catalan 
Pyrenees, October 26, 2024

Notes
(1) The extension of Aqua Domitia, the vast piping system that carries 
water from the Rhône to Montpellier (according to Reporterre, Face à la 
sèche, un mégaprojet pour pomper le Rhône, 24 May 2024)
(2) Viure "brings together and coordinates local organisations in the 
Pyrénées-Orientales (66) that are fighting for the protection of natural 
spaces and agricultural land.» There are a myriad of local associations 
and collectives as well as the LPO, XR, Greenpeace, the LDH, 
Alternatiba, the Soulèvements de la Terre... See on viure.fr
(3) See the history on the Mantet Nature Reserve website: rnn-mantet.fr
(4) Grup Pirinec Excursionista Nord Catala, in French, northern Catalan 
Pyrenean excursionist group, "a movement that is at once social, 
sporting and contemplative (discovery of local fauna and flora)", 
trans-Pyrenean, resulting from "exchanges with anti-Franco Catalans" in 
the 70s, based on "the defense of a land, a language, an identity, 
roots, values and a common heritage"
(5) See on the Aquagir.fr website ("the collective of water 
stakeholders"): End of the mandatory transfer of water and sanitation 
skills in 2026: what you need to know

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