Weimar is suffering from a water shortage: ban on abstraction from water bodies starting tomorrow!

Weimar is suffering from a water shortage: ban on abstraction from water bodies starting tomorrow!

What's happening in Weimar? There are currently concerns about water shortages and the city administration has now pulled the emergency brake. From July 4, 2025, a temporary ban on withdrawing water from municipal waters will apply in Weimar. The reasons for this are obvious: the region is suffering from persistent drought, the water levels in the Ilm and other bodies of water are falling dramatically and rainfall has been well below the long-term average for months. Loud Thuringia24 There were only extremely small amounts of rain in April, May and June 2025.

The process is no coincidence. The water authority in Thuringia is obliged to take measures to secure the water balance. With this ban, the city not only wants to protect the ecological status of the waters, but also preserve the habitat for aquatic animals and plants. The only exception to the ban is drawing water with hand-held vessels for cattle troughs. Violations of these regulations can be punished with fines.

Drought as a permanent problem

The current situation is not an isolated case. The region already suffered from a water shortage from 2018 to 2022. The Thuringian Basin, an area that traditionally suffers from low rainfall conditions, is particularly affected. The German Weather Service has forecast warmer than average and dry conditions for the summer of 2025, with a 73% chance of above average temperatures between June and August. This development poses major challenges for water supply and has not only ecological but also social consequences, such as: BUND Thuringia warns.

In agriculture, an important sector in the region, water requirements are further increased due to intensive use. This means that high demand meets dwindling water resources. Here too, the BUND is calling for comprehensive measures, such as the renaturation of rivers, the promotion of climate-adapted agriculture and the development of municipal water concepts for dry periods. Sebastian König, regional director of BUND Thuringia, emphasizes that water is not an inexhaustible resource and that economic interests must not take precedence over the protection of livelihoods.

The city of Weimar and the water authorities ask citizens to understand the measures taken. The decision to ban water extraction is aimed at preserving the livelihood of the flora and fauna in the region. Stabilizing the water balance is the top priority so that there will still be enough water available for everyone in the future.

Will the summer of 2025 be the turning point in the handling of water resources in Thuringia? The coming months will show it.