Frankfurt is planning a revolutionary water strategy: sustainability in focus!

Frankfurt is planning a revolutionary water strategy: sustainability in focus!

The water supply in Frankfurt is facing a major upheaval that is planned until 2026/2027. The city, together with the utility companies Mainova and Hessenwasser, has taken it upon itself to comprehensively revise the municipal water concept. A central idea is to develop sustainable water management strategies that not only meet the city's needs, but are also sustainable. Loud FNP Frankfurt needed a whopping 50 million cubic meters of drinking water in 2023, of which only a quarter was actually produced locally. The city gets the rest from sources in the area, especially from the Vogelsberg, the Hessischer Ried and the Main-Kinzig district.

Did you know that the per capita water requirement in the Main metropolis has been almost halved since 1977? This is currently 122 liters per person per day - compared to 120 liters in the Darmstadt regional council. The city's goal is now to increase the proportion of process or industrial water to cover increasing demand. These measures are even more important as forecasts indicate a growing population in the Rhine-Main region, and with the expected climatic changes, hot and dry summers must also be taken into account Hesse water notes.

Integration of “blue” and “green” elements

Another brilliant project is the creation of a working group on stormwater management, which aims to integrate “blue” and “green” elements into the water supply. There are already 16 extraction points for process water in Frankfurt, and swimming pool water and water from sewage treatment plants will also be used for irrigation in the future. The initiative to provide a domestic water system for new buildings shows the desire to promote innovative solutions. In new construction projects, for example, the collection and use of rainwater through cisterns should be systematically promoted.

According to information from BMBF It is of central importance to use resources efficiently. Water is essential not only for drinking water supplies, but also for agriculture, energy production and the transport of goods. Given the alarming water shortages worldwide, sustainable water management is more urgent than ever. In Frankfurt, this is being driven forward by the development of modern water supply systems, such as in the Hilgenfeld development area.

Water saving campaign and digital solutions

To raise awareness about water, a comprehensive water conservation campaign is planned for this year. This will use various means of communication to sensitize citizens and draw attention to the issue. Digitalization will also play a role: sensors will be installed to precisely measure the water requirements of trees and thus specifically optimize care and irrigation.

The path to a more sustainable water supply in Frankfurt has been paved. It remains to be seen how quickly and successfully these concepts will be implemented. What is clear, however, is that the measures are of great importance not only for the city, but for the entire region - always with a view to sustainable and resource-saving use of the precious commodity water.