Water shortage in southern Brandenburg: bans on abstraction from rivers and lakes!

Water shortage in southern Brandenburg: bans on abstraction from rivers and lakes!

In southern Brandenburg, citizens will have to take a closer look at how they use water in the future. From now on, it applies in the Spree-Neiße and Dahme-Spreewald districts Water withdrawal ban from lakes and rivers, which has been in effect since Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The communities affected are Spremberg, Drebkau, Kolkwitz, Lübben, Luckau and parts of the Spreewald. The background to this drastic step is the persistently low water levels in the Spree, which is already supported by inflows from Saxon dams. Experts fear that such restrictions will become necessary more frequently in the future.

The situation is serious. Due to the prolonged drought, water withdrawal bans from rivers and lakes have been established throughout Brandenburg. The first general decree came from the Oberhavel district in June, where water use is only permitted from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. More and more districts, including Frankfurt (Oder) and Märkisch-Oderland, are calling for economical water consumption. The deficits from the low-precipitation years 2018 to 2022 could not be compensated for, and the groundwater is constantly sinking.

Strengthening controls

The authorities are as intransigent as they are concerned. Anyone who violates the water extraction bans faces high penalties of up to 50,000 euros. The Elbe-Elster district also announced that it would increasingly monitor compliance with these bans. In cities like Brandenburg an der Havel, a ban applies until September 30th, although there are exceptions for vacuum trucks used to irrigate public areas. This makes it clear how serious the situation is for agriculture and green space maintenance.

Interestingly, the drought is not only a challenge for water supplies, but also for domestic fruit production. In Brandenburg, scientists are working on which apple varieties can cope with climate change. Extreme weather events and dry soils are affecting apple farmers. Loud Deutschlandfunk culture The ban on water withdrawal during the day endangers the apple harvest: without artificial irrigation, the fruits are not suitable for sale.

Rationing of the water resource

Meanwhile, there is further pressure on the water supply: Tesla requires a huge 1.4 million cubic meters of water annually for its factory in East Brandenburg - this corresponds to the water consumption of a city with 40,000 inhabitants. Looking to the future, a water consumption limit of 105 liters per person per day will be set for new customers from 2025 rbb24 reported.

The discussion about purchasing and conserving water is intense. Experts such as hydrogeologist Irina Engelhardt warn of the low groundwater recharge in the region, which is only 82 mm annually. Unconventional solutions, such as collecting heavy rainfall to recharge groundwater, are considered necessary to secure long-term water supplies. Brandenburg is already planning to rethink the approval process for commercial settlements in order to ensure drinking water safety.

The development of water policy in Brandenburg shows that the sustainable use of the precious resource water has become a central concern. From the districts to the citizens – everyone is required to ensure responsible use of water.