Overview

• The bans prohibit extraction from rivers, lakes and other surface waters across counties in seven federal states.
• Local administrations have boosted inspections of surface and groundwater use to ensure compliance with the new rules.
• Some ordinances activate or lift automatically when predefined water-level thresholds are crossed.
• Several counties have imposed time-limited or full bans on groundwater irrigation from wells to curb aquifer depletion.
• Municipal associations are drafting additional restrictions and advising residents to prioritize drinking water and food production as high temperatures and low rainfall persist.