The Tübingen District Office has banned the abstraction of water from rivers and streams using pumps within the district. Drawing water with buckets and watering cans remains permitted.
The so-called general order is valid until 30 September 2026. Water may still be taken from the Neckar, Ammer and Echaz rivers. According to a statement, damming up watercourses is prohibited. Anyone who fails to comply faces a fine.
Persistent heat and drought
The reason is the persistent drought. Water levels in the rivers and streams in the district of Tübingen have fallen to critical levels. The heat is also leading to high evaporation rates and water temperatures.
Ban on water abstraction in other districts
In light of the current heatwave, the Tübingen District Office is appealing to everyone’s sense of responsibility to use water particularly sparingly. In the districts of Esslingen, Reutlingen, Sigmaringen and Zollernalb, a general ban on water abstraction from streams and rivers – including drawing water with watering cans and buckets – has been in place for some time now.
Further information:
https://www.kreis-tuebingen.de/allgemeinverfuegung+beschraenkung+wasserentnahme
https://tuenews.de/hitze-und-trockenheit-westeuropa-erlebt-rekord-juni/
https://tuenews.de/mehr-kostenloses-trinkwasser-in-tuebingen/
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