Pipe break in Berlin: Thousands of households fight for drinking water!

Pipe break in Berlin: Thousands of households fight for drinking water!

In the night of Wednesday, April 30, 2025, there was an unexpected pipe break in Berlin, which temporarily left thousands of households without drinking water supply. The incident occurred in the eastern urban area on the United Nations Square in Friedrichshain, where a fresh water line burst. This led to a significant drop in pressure in several districts, including the middle, Lichtenberg, Prenzlauer Berg and Pankow. Around 150 households are still affected and cannot use drinking water. While the water supply was partially complete in a large part of the eastern half of the city, the water pressure at around 3:30 a.m. normalized again after a quick barrier to prevent water exit.

The pipe break was caused by damage to a smaller tube next to the main line, which was affected by damage to the main pipe. The cement line did not withstand the pressure, which led to the floods in the affected streets. Photos, which were published by the Berliner Wasserbücken , show the extent of the floods, especially in Mollstraße and Büschingstraße.

water supply and repair measures

To support the affected households, a petrol rack with drinking water was set up. The repair of the damaged management is expected to take place during the day, while the repair of the large management will take several weeks. This situation emphasizes the challenges with which the water supply is confronted in large cities, especially in view of the bureaucratic hurdles that often exist for infrastructure projects. Reports of it-boltWise emphasize the need for a robust infrastructure as well as technological advances in surveillance and maintenance of water pipes to prevent future incidents.

The pipe break also has an impact on road traffic: Tram lines between Landsberger Allee/Petersburger Straße and Mollstraße/Prenzlauer Allee were temporarily out due to the incident. There is still a section in Mollstrasse to Büschingstrasse. The rbb24 reports that the extent of the damage and the exact reasons for the bursting of the tube remain unclear. While the repair work is in full swing, the Berlin water operations work tirelessly to restore the water supply for the affected households as soon as possible.