Water shortage in Rhineland-Palatinate: Red alarm level for the future!

Water shortage in Rhineland-Palatinate: Red alarm level for the future!

Trier, Deutschland - On April 11, 2025, the 9th Trier Water Management Day focused on the far-reaching effects of climate change on water resources in Germany, especially in Rhineland-Palatinate. According to the Institute for German and European Water Management Law is characterized by extreme drought and high temperatures, which led to a dramatic decline in the water level in the Rhine and dried out the upper layers of the soil. This situation illustrates the growing conflicts about the scarce water resources that affect both agricultural and industrial issues.

At the event, Katrin Eder, the Minister of State for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility in Rhineland-Palatinate, campaigned for a secure water supply. It pointed out the importance of adaptation measures and called the “Aktion Blau+” program, which aims to protect the water resources. Eder emphasized the close cooperation between the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the institute to master the challenges of climate change together.

adaptation of climate consequences

The Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility has initiated the development of a future plan, which deals with the consequences of climate change to the water regime in Rhineland-Palatinate. The aim of this plan is to formulate adaptation strategies and thus counteract an increase in drought, drought and extreme weather events such as heavy rain. A first draft has already been created, and an interdisciplinary process of participation in the involvement of all relevant actors is in the corridor.

The opening event took place in Ingelheim am Rhein in September 2023 and attracted many interested parties. Minister Eder called for broad participation in this process, which enabled written statements by November 2023. Over 60 statements have already been received, and in the first quarter of 2024 thematically focused workshops are planned to get even more input. The final plan is to be presented to the public on October 31, 2024.

challenges in water supply

The problem of water shortages is not just a regional, but an increasingly national concern. In Germany, some water suppliers face challenges during hot summer periods, such as Tagesschau . Often the existing infrastructure is not sufficient to cover the increased water needs. Technical water storage and preparation systems reach their limits in critical temperatures, which leads to bottlenecks in different regions.

An example is the city of Leimen in Baden-Württemberg, which needs up to 13,000 cubic meters of water on peak days, while the waterworks cannot keep up with demand. The Hardtgruppe Association therefore plans to expand the storage capacities in order to increase the water supply by 70 percent to 1,200 cubic meters per hour. Without such measures, serious usage conflicts could occur, especially during hot summer when water is needed for cooling, agriculture and other needs.

The discussion about water consumption becomes more urgent, since in parts of Germany there are already signs of stipulation and local water storage cannot be filled sufficiently, even in rainy times. It is predicted that future water consumption and supply will be one of the central challenges for the coming years. Responsible and scientists are therefore required to find sustainable solutions in order to secure the valuable resource of water for future generations.