Free drinking water: This is how Dresden protects against the heat wave!

Free drinking water: This is how Dresden protects against the heat wave!

With the heated time that is imminent us again this year, the worries about health are once again great. Current heat waves represent a serious risk, as the health department in Dresden emphasizes. In the temperatures that were registered in Dresden last year - a total of 25 hot days with over 30 degrees - this was the second highest number since the beginning of the records in 1961. In this critical situation, the city has created an information campaign to not only make access to drinking water easier, but also show preventive measures against the dangers of the heat. On the websites www.dresden.de/hitzen and www.dresden.de/trinkbrunnen can be found with the locations of drinking waterbrunnen and refill stations at which you can Fresh water can fill up.

Health mayor Dr. Kristin Klaudia Kaufmann is certain: "The free drinking water supply is part of general interest and is particularly important in the face of climate change." Currently there are not only eleven public drinking water fountains in Dresden, but also around 80 refill stations in shops, cafes and public facilities. These infrastructures in particular are intended to protect vulnerable groups such as children, seniors and homeless people and prevent dehydration. The campaign also conveys tips on how to behave best on hot days to prevent health problems.

climate change: a growing challenge

But not only drinking water supply is an urgent topic. The climatic changes also have direct health consequences. According to an analysis of Deutschlandfunk , climate change is the greatest health threat to humanity, as is the world health organization (Who). With the increase in global temperatures, which were recently 1.55 degrees Celsius above the pre -industrial level, the boundaries between the seasonal temperatures are blurred, which increases the frequency and intensity of heat waves.

Especially affected by this are older people and people with previous illnesses. Over 47,000 people in Europe died of heat -related consequences in the summer of 2023 alone, with around 3,000 deaths in Germany. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) supports this information and works on climate protection-related health issues. The decisive topics are not only the direct risks of heat, but also the indirect consequences such as the spread of diseases through invasive species such as the Asian tiger mosquito, which can transmit tropical diseases.

tips for the hot season

The city of Dresden relies on clarification and prevention. The citizens not only offer access to water sources, but also advice to protect themselves from the heat and from new health risks. The mobile version of the city plan enables people to call up their own location and find the nearest drinking water source. It is worth using these resources in order not only to meet the heat with a cool head, but also well hydrated.