Opinion poll
Heat: Municipal providers expect more water bottlenecks
Due to heavy heat and drought, water supply in this country is also under pressure: According to a survey, more than 120 water suppliers expect an increase in bottlenecks.
Due to extreme heat and dryness, municipal supply companies will expect more bottlenecks in water supply in Germany in the future. According to a survey by the Association of Local Care Company (VKU), almost half (45 percent) of the 127 municipal water suppliers surveyed reported increasing demand in heat periods. A good quarter of them (29) had already had to struggle with bottlenecks for water supply in recent years.
In 16 percent of the reports reported, the systems and pipeline networks had reached the load limit and in 13 percent of the cases the available amount of water became too scarce in order to cover the increasing demand.
Two thirds of the respondents expect the increase in bottlenecks
In the long term, two thirds of the respondents expect a moderate (57 percent) to significant increase (18 percent) of bottlenecks. “Especially in regions with scarce water resources or an infrastructure that is not designed for demand tips, temporary bottlenecks could occur in summer,” the association writes in its message on the survey. A spokesman gives about Franconia and Brandenburg as examples of regions with water shortages. The survey itself does not include a consideration of individual regions.
Many companies also turn directly to the population
The Vice President of the Association, Karsten Specht, sees the municipal water management overall of the challenge, but emphasizes: “The burden increases.” Because of climate change, more frequent heat and drought periods can be expected. “We have to adapt to that.”
According to the survey, around 25 percent of companies report on official requirements or restrictions on use. Almost every second company increasingly approached customers during ongoing heat periods and call up for careful handling of water.
The municipal water management is primarily responsible for the supply of the population with drinking water and for proper wastewater disposal. A total of 754 water suppliers are a member of the VKU.
Association demands political support
Political support is needed to secure the water supply in the long term, the association demands. The companies surveyed most often have mentioned priority for the public water supply in the event of conflicts of use. So far, this has not been legally anchored.
In addition, from the point of view of the association, planning and approval procedures should be simplified for adaptation to the consequences of climate change and appropriate funding should be provided. The association also hopes for funds from the federal government of 500 billion euros of the federal government for infrastructure and climate neutrality. The water management must also benefit from these investments, it is said.
dpa
Source: Stern
