Berlin’s new environment minister, Maja Schreiner (CDU), is developing a plan for how water would be rationed in the event of a city-wide drought, according to reports by Berliner Zeitung.
Berlin and Brandenburg are among the driest federal states in Germany, and 2022 was the driest year on record. Now, in preparation for further water shortages and droughts in the regions, local politicians are working on a plan to decide which services and industries would be prioritised and where water usage would be rationed.
Schreiner has said that the local government would like to make sure the capital is resilient against future droughts and rising temperatures. “We are going to create a crisis plan,” Schreiner said speaking to the Environment Committee in Berlin’s House of Representatives last week, calling the topic of water management a particularly large challenge.
Schreiner said that the “core task of the Senate” is to preserve the city’s green spaces. 10.000 new street trees and emergency drinking water wells are also planned.
Since April, Berlin has seen a considerable absence of rainy weather, which Schreiner says feels like a “crash”. According to data from the Plant Protection Office, which measures soil moisture in the city, 11 of Berlin’s 23 measuring points are classified as "dry" and another seven, are classified as "drying out".
“Once again, the region is far too dry,” said Schreiner. With hot summer temperatures already hitting the city, Berlin is likely in for the fifth drought-filled summer in a row.
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