Germany is preparing for the effects of the heat wave on health, the economy and water supply

Many German districts have temporarily or during the day restricted the filling of swimming pools, water areas (gardens, parks, sports facilities or agricultural areas) or the withdrawal of water from wells and rivers when temperatures exceed a certain value.

While some areas are enforcing water restrictions, others are running so-called awareness campaigns, urging citizens to be more aware of their water use, such as taking shorter showers.

“Persistent periods of heat and drought are increasingly leading to regional water shortages in Germany,” warned the Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB). While bottlenecks and restrictions are still the exception, proactive action and investment are required to keep it that way, according to the water management association DVGW.

According to a DVGW survey, almost a fifth (19%) of water utilities faced water resource bottlenecks in 2022. “More measures are needed at various levels to make the water supply sustainable,” demanded Wolf Merkel, head of the association. According to the association, the development of new production areas, the construction of new dams and underground water reservoirs or the expansion of the transmission system and the connection of systems to neighboring suppliers are necessary.

The city of Berlin, whose water supply is endangered by the coal phase-out, is doing more: Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB) want to invest around 6 billion euros in the rehabilitation of groundwater wells and in better wastewater treatment by 2030.

If the summer this year is characterized by low rainfall, Environment Senator Manja Schreiner (CDU) does not rule out water rationing, reports the Tagesspiegel. She is therefore drafting an emergency plan that outlines where water can no longer be used when certain limit values ​​are reached, the newspaper says.

Falling groundwater levels are not only a problem for the drinking water supply, but also for agriculture. In Bavaria, the government is promoting investments in water storage and irrigation systems for winegrowers, as most have been dependent on rainfall for decades and only a fraction can artificially irrigate their vines. In addition, researchers across the state are planting more heat-hardy or drought-tolerant crops, such as peanuts, sesame, beans and rice, to prepare agriculture for increasing weather extremes.