Pool boom in Upper Austria: water pipes at the limit!

Pool boom in Upper Austria: water pipes at the limit!

Buchkirchen, Österreich - The popularity of private swimming pools in Upper Austria increases. Today there are an estimated 90,000 pools in the state. The rush is enormous, especially on warm spring days, since many people want to fill their pools. However, this brings considerable challenges for the municipalities. Klaus Wachtveitl from the water management department explains that it is an infrastructural problem and not a lack of water. The water supply systems are not designed for the sudden, high levels of removal, which leads to a doubling or tripling of daily water consumption in regions such as Buchkirchen.

In order to keep the water supply stable, an early warning system is used in Buchkirchen, which raises the alarm in the event of disturbances. Citizens are asked to voluntarily report larger amounts of water, but this is currently not an obligation. Experts recommend lying the fillings of the pools to the side and avoiding peak times. Coordinated regulations of this kind are considered necessary to prevent future bottlenecks.

challenges from the pool boom

The trend towards private pools is not only limited to Upper Austria. There are now 2.1 million private pools in Germany, two thirds of which are up -to -date. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities sees the municipalities as a duty to decide on private water use, while a general pool ban is classified as inappropriate. Water expert Alexander Kramer emphasizes that the water supply in Germany is fundamentally secured, but long -lasting drought time can also lead to water shortages here.

In some regions, municipal restrictions on water use have already taken place due to drought phases. This is the case in Bad Königshofen in Bavaria, for example, where the drinking water supply suffers from low groundwater levels. Summer has occurred with consumption restrictions over the past five years, which shows that the topic of water supply also gains relevance in Germany. Water consumption in dry regions is particularly critically considered, where almost 30 counties have issued usage restrictions last year.

water consumption and climate change

Water requirements in households increase by 40 to 60 percent in summer. An average installation pool usually holds 6,500 liters, which corresponds to the 52-fold of the daily water requirement of a person. These numbers illustrate the burden caused by private pools. In Panketal, Brandenburg, temporal restrictions on garden irrigation and pool filling apply from April to September. In addition, a construction ban for new pools was discussed in Untereisesheim in Baden-Württemberg, but not implemented it.

It is evident that the growing enthusiasm for private pools puts the water supply systems to their limits in both Austria and Germany. While the boom in private pools has increased significantly since Corona pandemic, a balance must now be found between individual leisure fun and the needs of the general water supply. At a time when climatic changes are becoming increasingly noticeable, it requires responsible decisions on the part of the citizens and the municipalities.