Water crisis: Below historic lows of the dry year 2018
The district of Nienburg issued a general decree restricting water withdrawals from wells and from the public water supply. Accordingly, green areas may no longer be watered from a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., as the administration announced. This applies to green areas such as parks, gardens or sports facilities as well as areas used for agriculture and forestry. A similar restriction already existed in the district of Nienburg in 2022.
“Groundwater = valuable drinking water = finally.”
The administration’s justification: The historical lows of the dry year 2018 are already undercut at a large number of measuring points in the area. It was said that the precipitation that fell last winter and spring could not contribute to a sustainable increase in groundwater levels. The restriction applies until the end of September.
Lüneburg: Restrictions on water use
The district of Lüneburg is also planning restrictions on water use, as a spokeswoman said. Details were not initially given. The district of Lüchow-Dannenberg is also currently working on a corresponding general decree.
In the district of Harburg, a provision has been in force for more than 30 years that regulates the irrigation of agricultural areas and sports fields. Accordingly, due to the high evaporation losses in strong sunlight with temperatures above 25 degrees, surfaces may not be irrigated from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Against the background of climate change, the district keeps an eye on the topic and is examining which regulations are necessary to maintain the groundwater stocks, explained a spokesman.
Although the majority of counties and cities have not yet taken any measures, they reserve the right to issue such a restriction if the drought persists. This was declared by the districts of Diepholz, Schaumburg and Osnabrück.
Greentech in the garden: Smart irrigation systems (IOT) can help
The district of Oldenburg only restricts water withdrawal from the Hunte above a certain water level. In addition, the population should be called on to save water. The city of Braunschweig announced that it would only restrict the use of drinking water for sprinkling by means of a general decree. Groundwater from wells can therefore continue to be used for sprinkling lawns, for example.
The city of Emden announced that people had already been made aware of this in recent years. However, the way water is used as a resource must continue to change overall. “Groundwater, which then ultimately becomes valuable drinking water, is finite, as we all know.”