Frankfurt: Green water for trees – swimming pools secure the future!

Frankfurt: Green water for trees – swimming pools secure the future!

Frankfurt am Main is facing an exciting transformation of its municipal water concept, with a clear goal: the more sustainable irrigation of its green oases. The concept is to be revised in 2026 and 2027, with the city administration working together with the utility companies Mainova and Hessenwasser. In 2023, Frankfurt required almost 50 million cubic meters of drinking water, with a significant part, namely 75%, coming from external sources such as the Vogelsberg and the Hessischer Ried and only a quarter coming from its own sources, as fr.de reports.

The challenges are apparent. The water requirement per capita in Frankfurt has almost halved since 1977 and was 122 liters per person per day in 2023, while the average in the Darmstadt regional council is 120 liters per person per day. This development also reflects the overall German trend, where consumption fell slightly in 2022 to 126 liters per day per person, but there are still increasing trends. The decline since 1991 is 18 liters per day, which indicates an increased awareness of water consumption, as the Federal Environment Agency clarifies.

Sustainable strategies for the future

The new water concept is based on increasing the proportion of process or service water in order to cover the additional demand. In addition to current reviews of the water needs of urban facilities, a working group on stormwater management is being set up. The aim is to supply the irrigated green areas and trees exclusively with process water. Frankfurt already has 16 extraction points for process water from deep wells or pumping stations, and the use of water from swimming pools and sewage treatment plants for irrigation is also on the agenda.

Another important concern is the development of rainwater management. To this end, retention areas for collecting rainwater in unused green spaces are being planned in districts such as Kätcheslachpark am Riedberg. In addition, water management should be digitized: sensors should measure the water requirements of the trees and thus enable targeted irrigation. This is all part of a water saving campaign that is starting this year with various information materials to actively involve the population and raise awareness.

The role of groundwater

Another aspect is the important role of groundwater in drinking water treatment. In 2022, companies in Germany delivered a total of 4.7 billion cubic meters of drinking water with a raw water withdrawal of 5.3 billion cubic meters. Private households and small businesses account for 81.5% (approx. 3.8 billion m³). The demand for drinking water is falling overall, but is certainly accompanied by seasonal fluctuations. Particularly hot summer rooms bring with them an increase in consumption, so that water demand increased from 2016 to 2019 and the trend was also noticeable in Frankfurt.

In view of these developments, cities like Frankfurt are relying on innovative solutions to meet the challenges of climate change and increasing water demand. With the planned municipal water concept, the city of Frankfurt will promote responsible use of water not only for today, but also for future generations.