Water crisis in Germany: Bans and controversy meet counties!

Water crisis in Germany: Bans and controversy meet counties!

The water crisis in Germany is more serious than ever. Today, on June 29, 2025, the media report that the country has been living through the most violent drying phase since the beginning of the weather records in 1881. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), drought has achieved a scale in recent months that has never been recorded before. Nationwide you can see yourself confronted with dramatic water withdrawal bans, and regions are particularly affected in Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg and beyond.

In order to cope with the lack of water, the first counties have already started to ban water from streams, ponds and rivers. This is already the case in the Saale-Holzland district in Thuringia. Further limited regulations were announced in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse and Saxony, to name just a few. In the table below you will find the most important counties in which the water withdrawal ban applies:

The consequences of the drought

penalties for illegal water withdrawal can be up to 100,000 euros in Hesse, while in Brandenburg there were already high fines of up to 50,000 euros. The DWD has found that the past few months have experienced the driest period since 1931. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of water in the top floor, where there is dry stress in many regions. Therefore, the risk of forest fire is at the highest level.

In this tense situation, many counties rely on voluntary measures instead of pronouncing strict bans. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB) urges concrete measures to ensure water supply and sensitively makes the population on the careful handling of water. The Federal Government also encourages citizens to inform themselves about tips on garden irrigation to protect the water resources.

The challenge of climate change

The drought that Germany is plaguing is not just a temporary phenomenon. According to information from the Federal Environment Agency, Germany has experienced a change in the precipitation pattern in recent years, which is closely linked to climate change. The drought in March 2025, in particular, shows that the drought in March 2025 only recorded 9 l/m² of precipitation. This not only affects agriculture, but also on water availability and ecosystems in the region.

A look into the future shows that measures to adapt to dryness and drought are developed at the federal and state level. The national water strategy, which was decided in 2023, is intended to promote the sustainable handling of water. But a challenge remains: In inner -city areas there are often drainage problems in heavy rain. The sealing of areas makes it difficult to effectively absorb rainwater, which leads to overflowing and contaminated waters that can endanger health.

The current challenges show that it is time to make changes both in terms of local and individual changes. Whether in the irrigation of plants or the general water consumption - a duty of care compared to the valuable resource of water is essential.