How the government wants to protect the water in Germany

A beet field in North Rhine-Westphalia is irrigated

Federal states and municipalities should develop strategies for possible phases of water scarcity.

(Photo: imago images/Rupert Oberhäuser)

Berlin The Federal Cabinet passed a “National Water Strategy” on Wednesday. In view of the climate crisis with more dry and hot periods, this should ensure the supply of drinking water and the protection of natural water reserves over the coming decades.

The aim is also to prevent conflicts of use and to gradually rehabilitate the water infrastructure. The water quality should improve, residues such as microplastics and drug residues should disappear.

“The consequences of the climate crisis for people and nature are forcing us to act,” said Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens). The past years of drought have left clear traces in forests, lakes and rivers and in agriculture. “Extreme weather events are occurring more and more frequently and are causing major problems for municipalities and states.”

According to the Ministry of the Environment, large investments are required to adapt to climate change. Specific numbers were not given.

A first action program with initially 78 measures is now available, the steps are to be implemented by 2030. This includes better predictions of where water will be available in the future and where it will be needed. More data, forecasts and scenarios should make it possible to predict the regions in which water could become scarce.

Water could become the limiting factor

“We must avoid water becoming a limiting factor for regional development,” says the Ministry of the Environment, explaining the pressure to act. For this reason, not only guidelines for dealing with water shortages are to be developed, but also for possible transmission networks. Water from rainy regions could reach drier areas via these.

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The further development of the cities is also a focus of the water strategy. For example, more water reservoirs will be needed in the future, for example to irrigate green spaces and street trees. These in turn help to make life in cities bearable during periods of heat.

The Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) spoke of “increasing challenges” in water management, on the one hand due to climate change and on the other hand due to the increasing pollution of water bodies with pharmaceutical residues, pesticides and nitrate from agriculture.

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In case of doubt, the public drinking water supply must be given priority, demanded the BDEW. This priority and the great importance of the drinking water supply for economic development in Germany should be “worked out even more clearly”.

From the point of view of Gerd Landsberg, General Manager of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, possible conflicts of interest must be clearly resolved: “Where there is not enough water for all consumers such as agriculture or industry, the public water supply must always have priority.”

The “National Water Strategy” is based on the results of a two-year dialogue with representatives from water management, agriculture, associations, states and municipalities. The first plans for a water strategy were already drawn up in the last legislative period.

More: Municipalities warn of conflicts over water shortages

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