Dhe drinking water that comes out of the pipes in the city and in the district of Offenbach comes exclusively from groundwater sources. The number one foodstuff is promoted and distributed by the Offenbach City and District Water Supply Association (ZWO). However, the resources from which he can draw have been declining for years due to a lack of precipitation, climate change and other causes, as Sabine Groß (The Greens), head of the climate department, says. At around 48 percent of all measuring points in Hesse, the groundwater is now “well below the level required for security of supply,” warns Groß.
A hazard prevention regulation is now intended to prevent worse from happening. On the initiative of the head of the environmental department, the Offenbach magistrate passed the corresponding ordinance on drinking water supply. This allows the city to take tougher action if appeals to use water more sparingly are unsuccessful. The City Council will make a decision at the next meeting.
Make sure there is enough drinking water
In concrete terms, the ordinance, which should be approved by the majority of the traffic light coalition in the city council, allows the city to restrict the use of drinking water to certain purposes and times. In the event of prolonged drought, this is to ensure that there is enough drinking water for its actual purpose as food.
In an emergency, the water from public pipes may no longer be used at all or only to a limited extent for watering lawns, trees, vegetables, shrubs and shrubs. It is therefore completely forbidden to fill water basins and wash cars with tap water.
Fines of up to 5000 euros
In the event of a water emergency, it should be prohibited on sports fields and construction sites to prevent the formation of dust using water sprinklers. The cleaning of outdoor surfaces such as terraces should also be prohibited. According to the information, the same applies to fountains and water features. There should be exceptions for critical infrastructure such as power plants and for newly planted trees that would die without water.
If someone does not comply with the prohibitions of the regulation, this can lead to fines of up to 5000 euros, as Mayor Groß further reports. It is about securing enough drinking water for everyone. That’s why waste must have consequences, Groß emphasizes in a statement. Irrespective of this, it would be better for the citizens if everyone was already saving water together so that an emergency does not arise in the first place and the regulation does not have to be applied.
