Water withdrawal is prohibited in the Central Saxony district for three months!

Water withdrawal is prohibited in the Central Saxony district for three months!

The water supply in Germany is facing a serious challenge, which is exacerbated by the ongoing drought. On July 14th, a new general decree comes into force in the Central Saxony district, which prohibits the withdrawal of water from streams and rivers for three months. This is a direct response to the alarmingly low water levels, which currently only contain small amounts of water. According to Sächsische.de, no short-term relief from precipitation can be expected in the next few months.

However, this decision is not isolated. The German Weather Service (DWD) has been monitoring this situation for months. From February to April 2025, the weather in Germany was drier than it had been in over 90 years. A frightening example is March 2025, in which only 21% of usual precipitation was measured. Even in May there was only around 48 l/m², which is just 68% of the average amount we would expect in normal years. The measures taken by municipalities to protect our water resources are all the more important [Umweltbundesamt](https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wasser/extremprojekteklimawandel/trockenheit-in-deutschland-fragen- Answeren).

A widespread problem

The problem of water extraction not only affects Central Saxony, but has now spread to several cities and regions in Germany. Similar restrictions were also imposed in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia. The withdrawal of water from streams, lakes and wells is undesirable in several districts and cities. In Münster and neighboring districts there has been a ban on withdrawing water from the Ems since the end of May Tagesspiegel.

The low water levels not only endanger the flora and fauna in and around the waters, but could also have long-term negative effects on agriculture, water quality and biodiversity. The German adaptation strategy to climate change attempts to counteract this development by promoting adapted land management and water retention.

The call to responsibility

The measures in Central Saxony are part of a comprehensive appeal to the population to use water responsibly. Although skimming water with hand vessels is still permitted, this should only be done to a limited extent. We strongly advise you to protect nature and its resources. The drought monitor also shows a worrying sign that more and more regions in Germany are suffering from drought conditions.

In summary, the current drought is not only putting water supplies under pressure in the short to medium term, but could also have far-reaching consequences for ecological conditions and agriculture. People are called upon to actively take responsibility so that we can manage our valuable water resources better in the future.