Water removal ban in Lusatia: drought forces for inspection!

Water removal ban in Lusatia: drought forces for inspection!

Spree-Neiße, Deutschland - The drought in Brandenburg and Saxony has continued to worry in the past few days. The district of Görlitz today, on June 21, 2025, issued a ban on water. This reports Radio Lausitz . The ban now applies to the removal of water from rivers using pumps from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Other counties, including the Spree-Neiße district, the Oberspreewald-Lausitz-Kreis and the Elbe-Elster-Kreis, have already issued general orders that prohibit the pumping of water.

The low water levels on the Black Elster and the Middle Spree make these measures necessary to offer protection on site. The ban was issued in response to the continued drought and applies until further notice. The water withdrawal ban for the Spree-Neisse district already came into force at the beginning of the week, reports Radio Cottbus .

why now?

As the current weather forecasts show, extreme heat will also be expected in the coming weeks. Cottbus could experience temperatures of over 27 degrees, while in Germany tropical nights and even record levels over 40 degrees are expected in Germany. These extreme weather conditions are responsible for the critical drainage values ​​on the Leibsch level, which have been measured since June 1st. The aim of the prepared order is to protect the flora and fauna in the Spree and to maintain the ecosystem.

A look beyond the borders

The problems with the water supply are not only limited to Brandenburg and Saxony. A similar regulation for water withdrawal from rivers and lakes was also issued in the district of North Saxony last year. If you violate this, you have to count on high fines that can be up to 50,000 euros, such as mdr

The administrations of the affected counties ask the residents to use water resources sparingly, also with regard to groundwater. Tips for garden irrigation include to limit them to the early morning and late evening hours to minimize evaporation.

It is time for all citizens to take responsibility and rethink their water to protect the natural resources and to react appropriately to the changes in the environment.