Dessau-Roßlau takes action: strict water withdrawal ban from July

Dessau-Roßlau takes action: strict water withdrawal ban from July

Dessau-Roßlau, Deutschland - The city of Dessau-Roßlau has now issued a general order that severely limits water withdrawal from all waters in the urban area. This measure comes into force on July 1, 2025 and remains until September 30, 2025. The background is the ongoing drought and falling water levels, which have been observed in particular in the past few months. Both surface waters and groundwater in the entire urban area are affected. This is reported by the city administration of Dessau-Roßlau at Administration.dessau-rosslau.de . .

As the general decree defines, water withdrawals are now prohibited from above -ground waters using pumping devices. In addition, there is a time ban on fountain withdrawals, which are carried out to irrigate green spaces and sports facilities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. This also affects private garden fountain with valid water law permission. Exceptions are only made for water law defense purposes or to defend dangers to public security. However, scooping out of surface waters with hand vessels such as watering can remains.

reasons for the water withdrawal restriction

The reasons for these far -reaching measures are alarming: the spring 2025 was characterized by extremely low rainfall, so that the water levels have dropped to a critical level. Numbers of the German Weather Service (DWD) show that the period from February to April 2025 has been the driest time in Germany since 1931. With only 21% of the usual precipitation, March was the sixth dry since 1881, while May was also drastically below average with only around 48 l/m². These conditions, which particularly affect the north and northeast of Germany, have a direct influence on agriculture and nature.

In addition, the Federal Environment Agency reports that the soil moisture is severely impaired in many German regions. This leads to dry stress, which has a negative impact on plant growth and harvest yields. The 70% of the drinking water, which comes from ground and spring water, are in danger of what the drinking water supply could put on in the long term. Sustainable water management is therefore essential, especially in times like these, where the climate changes are clearly noticeable. It is all the more important that the citizens: inside in Dessau-Roßlau are called to use water sparingly and to promote environmentally friendly practices.

effects and measures

Violations of the general decree can be punished with high fines of up to 50,000 euros. These drastic measures underline the seriousness of the current situation. The construction work ongoing in Dessau-Roßlau, such as the channel and road repairs in Schlachthofstraße and Eduardstrasse, are also affected by the dryness, since traffic impairments bring additional challenges for residents during the repair work. Here it becomes clear that the city faces a double challenge: the drought and the necessary infrastructural renewal, both of which rely on the patience and understanding of the citizens.

The measures for water withdrawal are continuously monitored and can be revoked when changing the weather conditions or improvements in the water properties. Therefore, it remains exciting to observe how the situation will develop in the coming months and which adaptation strategies the city will initiate in order to effectively counter the challenges of climate change.