Bathing ban in the Metzisweiler pond: water quality still poor!

Bathing ban in the Metzisweiler pond: water quality still poor!

The beautiful bathing season is approaching, but there is worrying news for bathers in the Ravensburg district. Swimming in the Metzisweiler Weiher near Bad Wurzach is not recommended due to the current water quality. On May 22, 2025, the state health department announced the classification of the water as “poor”. This decision is based on an analysis of water samples that showed elevated microbial levels and could therefore endanger the health of bathers. The situation is not new: the Metzisweiler pond was already rated as inadequate in 2023 and 2024, which further increases the uncertainty for future bathing days.

As all-in.de reports, various factors, including pollutants and algae blooms, may have contributed to the increased microbial levels. The health department plans to take regular water samples during the swimming season to monitor quality. The next assessments are expected to take place in spring 2026, based on the data from the 2025 swimming season.

The numbers speak for themselves

In Baden-Württemberg the picture is completely different for most bathing waters. Around 97 percent of the 311 monitored bathing areas were rated as “very good” or “well suited”. Only two bodies of water - the Metzisweiler Weiher and the Sunthauser See in the Schwarzwald-Baar district - had to accept the inadequate classification. The SWR reports that a bathing ban also applies in Lake Sunthauser until further notice.

The water quality is checked at least once a month during the bathing season. The Ministry of Health pays the utmost attention to hygiene, as bathing bans have also occurred in recent years due to pollution from water birds. This is a serious matter, especially in times of increasingly frequent heatwaves when many people are looking to cool off.

The vast majority swim safely

Overall, the water quality in Germany shows encouraging results. According to the Federal Environment Agency, a full 98 percent of bathing waters met the quality requirements of the EU Bathing Water Directive in 2024. The response was optimistic: almost 91 percent of the waters received an “excellent” rating. These successes are the result of strict monitoring and control, which has been carried out since 2008 on the basis of the amended guidelines.

The bathing season is a pleasure for most, but for some bathers the question remains: When will the situation at Metzisweiler Weiher finally improve? What is certain is that there is little hope until the reassessment in 2026. If you are looking for clear and clean waters, you should take a look at the bathing water map, which lists all of the controlled bathing areas.