Brandenburg's water emergency situation: Strict limits for withdrawals from July!

Brandenburg's water emergency situation: Strict limits for withdrawals from July!

The municipalities in Brandenburg are facing a water crisis that could further aggravate the already tense situation. From July onwards, strict limits on water withdrawals will apply meetingpoint-brandenburg.de reported. Despite the rainfall in 2024, the situation has not improved sustainably. The extremely dry years from 2018 to 2023 continue to cast their shadow on the natural water balance, which is suffering from persistent drought and high temperatures.

Measures to improve water quality and ecological status are now essential. In Brandenburg an der Havel, the abstraction of water from surface waters is simply prohibited - with one exception: only suction trucks that are used to irrigate trees and bushes on public areas are still allowed to withdraw water. In addition, the irrigation of private green and garden areas with groundwater is limited to the night hours between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. These regulations come into force upon publication in the Official Journal on June 30th.

Background to water scarcity

But how did this dramatic development come about? A look at the causes offers Umweltbundesamt.de. Water scarcity in Germany is a complex problem caused by climatic conditions, water quality problems, mining and increasing water demand - especially in metropolitan regions. In addition, the intensive use of water in agriculture also requires critical consideration. The ongoing drought and uncertainties regarding future water use show that the measures taken so far are not enough.

The WADKlim research project has already formulated solutions that are intended to contribute to the German adaptation strategy to climate change. These include promoting water efficiency and the use of water reuse in urban areas for the irrigation of green spaces. The need for action is clear: politicians and decision-makers must integrate sustainable water use strategies into their plans to minimize future usage conflicts.

A look into the future

The predictions for the coming years are anything but rosy. Future dry periods could further reduce water availability in many regions of Germany. This could lead to an exacerbation of existing usage conflicts. It is therefore becoming all the more important that natural ecosystems are also given greater consideration when planning and implementing measures. The goal is a balance between the different user groups - from agriculture to urban needs.

In summary, it can be said that the water crisis in Brandenburg requires serious measures. Only by using this valuable asset proactively and sparingly can we counteract a worsening situation that could not only affect the environment, but also people's quality of life. So there is a great responsibility on the shoulders of decision-makers - and each and every one of us is asked to make our contribution.