Seven Brandenburg districts ban water extraction as drought deepens, Potsdam prepares to follow

Mounting restrictions across the state

Seven of Brandenburg's 14 rural districts have now enacted rules limiting or banning the extraction of water from surface bodies, according to reports from Der Tagesspiegel and DIE WELT. The city of Brandenburg an der Havel joined them on Tuesday, 14 July, prohibiting pumping or diverting water from rivers, lakes, ponds and ditches until 31 August. Private garden and green-space irrigation using groundwater is restricted to the hours between 18:00 and 08:00.

The city attributed the move to "persistent drought, below-average precipitation, despite occasional heavy downpours, as well as above-average temperatures and recurring heatwaves."

Persistent drought, below-average precipitation — despite occasional heavy downpours — as well as above-average temperatures and recurring heatwaves.

Havelland and Potsdam-Mittelmark tighten rules

In Havelland, a ban took effect on Monday, 13 July, and runs through 30 September. The district cited extremely falling flows on the Havel and its tributaries. Surface-water extraction by pump or diversion is prohibited; groundwater irrigation, including from the drinking-water network, is permitted only between 18:00 and 10:00.

Potsdam-Mittelmark has had a ban in place since 19 June, also lasting until 30 September. Pumping from rivers, streams and lakes is forbidden, and private wells may only be used for watering between 20:00 and 08:00.

Elbe-Elster, Oberspreewald-Lausitz and longer-standing bans

Elbe-Elster imposed its ban on 2 July, covering rivers and streams until further notice. The district warned that water levels have dropped so far in many places that vital habitats for fish, small animals and aquatic plants are endangered.

Water levels have dropped so far in many places that vital habitats for fish, small animals and aquatic plants are endangered.

Oberspreewald-Lausitz has maintained a pumping ban for the Middle Spree and Black Elster catchment area since June 2025. Initially time-limited for the Middle Spree, the restriction was extended to 24 hours in July 2025. Three other districts, Oder-Spree (locally for the Kageler Seenplatte since 2022), Barnim (since 2020) and Märkisch-Oderland (since 2020, with exceptions for quantities under 10 litres per person per day and for firefighting), have had long-standing restrictions.

State capital and Cottbus on alert

Potsdam does not yet have an extraction ban, but a city spokeswoman confirmed one is in preparation. Cottbus is monitoring developments and cannot rule out issuing at least a temporary ban in the near future. The cluster of new restrictions arrives during a summer marked by high evaporation, low river flows and repeated heat periods across eastern Germany.