France has approximately 33,000 sites where potable water is abstracted, or drawn from natural sources, with around 1,000 of these sites marked as priority due to contamination from diffuse pollution. The main contaminants are nitrates and pesticides, which often come from agricultural runoff. A study by the Seine-Normandie Water Agency highlights that preventing pollution upstream is significantly more cost-effective than cleaning up contaminated water downstream. A recent report focused on the main abstraction site in Hyères, a city in the Var department, where preventive measures have been implemented to protect the water source. The Père Éternel site, located in a strip of land between a military area and the road connecting Nice to Hyères, is marked by seven green cubes spaced a few meters apart. This site is a key source of potable water for the 50,000 residents of Hyères. Within this secured area, seven wells draw raw water from the Gapeau groundwater aquifer. The water is then transported via pipeline to the Père Éternel plant, where it undergoes treatment before being distributed through the local water network. Anne Wunderlich, operations manager at Suez, which manages water for the Toulon Provence Méditerranée (TPM) metropolitan area, explains how the site operates. The Gapeau aquifer, connected to the Gapeau River, is primarily replenished by the river itself, with water infiltrating through porous geological layers. The river flows just meters away from the site and is directly linked to the aquifer. According to Wunderlich, the aquifer receives most of its water from the Gapeau River, with precipitation playing a secondary role. Hyères has two abstraction sites, known as capturing fields: Père Éternel, with seven wells, and Golf Hôtel, with two wells. Both sites are crucial for ensuring a steady supply of clean water to the local population.