Severe water shortage threatens her Germany for the next few months, due to the prolonged drought, with the authorities receiving meters and even consider rationing water use.

In many areas of the country the groundwater level has dropped significantly and the situation is already at the point of “emergency”. According to the Federal Environmental Agency, increased water use “could push some water utilities’ distribution systems to their limits,” especially during the hottest hours of the day. Decisions to limit water use are already being taken at local level, and 30 regions have taken relevant measures as early as 2022. In these areas, when temperatures are particularly high, it is forbidden to water one’s garden, fill one’s private pool or do laundry his car within the confines of his house.

At the state level, Lower Saxony, where groundwater has been reduced to a historically low level, has imposed a ban on watering gardens and fields in the Niinburg/Weser region when the temperature exceeds 24 degrees, regardless of whether the water comes from the mains or from private drilling.

The federal government is also urging people to avoid wasting water, including showering over bathing, using only full dishwashers and watering in the morning or evening. A lot of water consumption, he warns, is also done with lawn sprinklers, with watering requiring up to 800 liters of water/hour, for this and in emergency cases, a relative ban is imposed. The competent authorities also recommend the creation of private drilling, which however requires a special permit.

As the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) points out, since 2018 water consumption has increased again in Germany. By comparison, in 1990 consumption was 147 liters per person, in 2013 121 liters and in 2022 125. Household needs in the middle of summer also increase by 40-60%, explains Martin Wyant, from the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries. (BDEW), while private swimming pools cause a particular burden. “An average 3.66 meter diameter above ground pool has a volume of 6500 litres. This corresponds to 52 times a person’s daily consumption,” he says.