Overview

• 38 percent of municipal pool operators said their facilities need comprehensive renovations within five years, marking a three-point increase from 2024.
• 88 percent of operators reported high financial demands and described available subsidies as inadequate or unsuitable for their renovation projects.
• Rising construction costs were cited by 79 percent of respondents as a major factor complicating refurbishment efforts.
• The Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft warned early this year that hundreds of public pools could shut down without significant modernization.
• The government has pledged at least €1 billion for sports facility upgrades despite warnings that tax relief plans could reduce municipal budgets and threaten pool operations.