Water shortage in Hesse: Red alarm level for groundwater!

Water shortage in Hesse: Red alarm level for groundwater!

Petersberg, Deutschland - What happens to our water? The situation is serious in Hesse. According to a recent study by the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE), which was carried out on behalf of the federal government, more than half of the counties in Hesse remove more groundwater than regenerated in a natural way. 16 out of 26 counties and independent cities are particularly affected, which suffer from “structural groundwater stress”. Acute groundwater stress occurs in 12 of these regions, which can be seen from a decline in groundwater level from 2012 to 2021. These alarming results ensure concerned faces with experts and citizens alike. Hessenschau reports that the debate about a more conscious handling of our water becomes louder.

in Petersberg near Fulda, the problem is particularly dramatic. The municipality has already threatened with a drinking water, which means that citizens are no longer allowed to water their balcony plants. One of the most important drinking water sources in Petersberg recently recorded a decline to 650 cubic meters per day, in summer it could only be 400 cubic meters. A decline in groundwater regeneration caused by the dry winter contributes to the tense situation.

water consumption in focus

What does the entire location in Hesse look like? Over 95% of the groundwater withdrawals in Hesse are used for public water supply. The President of the Hessian State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (HLNUG), Thomas Schmid, said optimistically by emphasizing that there are currently no problems with the groundwater levels. Nevertheless, a need for adaptation in different areas becomes clear.

The study shows that Germany's wealth of water is accompanied by regional bottlenecks, whereby the drought between 2018 and 2022 has significantly contributed to the fact that groundwater levels decrease continuously in many regions. IDW emphasizes that agriculture also has a high water requirement, which in combination with the climatic conditions further exacerbates the problem of water availability.

climate change and its effects

What does climate change have to do with it? Climate change has additional uncertainties in relation to the availability of groundwater and increases the challenges in water use. It is becoming increasingly important to develop and implement recommendations for action to ensure that future water shortages can be effectively combated, as the Wadklim research project suggests. Federal Environment Agency describes that, among other things, the promotion of water efficiency and sustainable water use are key strategies. Natural ecosystems should also be increased more.

Future water shortages is recognized as a comprehensive problem that is difficult to predict. Networking and cooperation between different user groups is becoming more important. Measures such as the use of water recalculation, especially in urban areas, could offer decisive solutions.

The current research clearly shows that our water is a precious asset that needs to be protected. A sustainable strategy for basic water use is indispensable so that we can continue to access sufficiently clean drinking water in the future. The discussion has opened - each one can make a contribution!