New Water and Coastal Protection Act: Protection against climate change!

New Water and Coastal Protection Act: Protection against climate change!

On this sunny day on June 24, 2025, the government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is bringing a breath of fresh air to environmental protection. The State Water Act, which has existed since 1992, is being fundamentally revised. The experts worked for seven years to adapt the law to the current challenges of climate change and the increasingly tense situation of groundwater resources. Agriculture and Environment Minister Dr. Till Backhaus has now presented this project to the cabinet and approval has already been given. The draft is now available for discussion in the state parliament n-tv reported.

The heart of the amendment is a new water and coastal protection law that not only clarifies the protection of our water, but also sustainable use and flood protection. “Climate change requires adaptation measures, and this is a step in the right direction,” said Backhaus. The new regulations are particularly exciting for farmers: In the future, they will have to adhere to a sustainability requirement that includes measures to protect groundwater and surface water. For example, deep plowing and fertilization will be prohibited in the five-meter-wide waterfront strip in the future.

Financial implications for households and agriculture

But the changes are not just environmental - they also have financial implications. Agricultural businesses have to pay for the irrigation of their fields, and the water abstraction fees for households and industry are also expected to increase from 2027. As a result, an average family will have to expect around 15 euros more per year. What many people don't know: Water costs will double to 20 cents per 1,000 liters, which isn't exactly a bargain, but necessary to ensure a sustainable water supply. In addition, the complete exemption from fees for agricultural irrigation will not be continued, but water-saving techniques should lead to lower payment rates the state government.

A legal framework for coastal protection

The new whole-of-society approach includes not only water law, but also coastal protection, where new responsibilities are regulated. While the state remains responsible for flood protection in contiguous built-up areas, municipalities and water and soil associations are given responsibility for protecting agricultural areas. The focus is also on coastal protection systems, which can now be moved back more flexibly and new coastal retreat areas can be identified. There is a clear commitment to natural water development here in order to create more space for natural water courses.

The challenge is great, because in Germany only 9% of rivers and lakes are in good ecological condition - a clear deficiency that the European Water Framework Directive warns about. Climate change is leading to more frequent extreme weather events, and many technical flood protection measures are reaching their limits. The new legal framework has the potential to bring about a change by promoting nature-based solutions, like this Federal Environment Agency emphatically emphasized.

In summary, it can be said that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is taking a bold step towards a sustainable future with this law. It will be crucial that the affected actors work well together to stabilize the water balance and meet the challenges of climate change. The next few weeks will show to what extent the state parliament supports the government's proposals and thus lays the foundation for a weatherproof and environmentally conscious policy.