Munich's daily water consumption fell below 330 million litres on the day after restrictions on private pool filling, lawn watering, and river extraction took effect, down from approximately 400 million litres during late June heatwaves. The decree, issued on 14 July 2026, applies to Munich and seven surrounding municipalities: Aschheim, Garching, Neubiberg, Neuried, Oberschleißheim, Unterföhring, and Unterhaching, with fines reaching €50,000 for violations. The restrictions remain in place until 1 August 2026, though authorities may extend them if drought conditions persist.
Meanwhile, the Austrian town of Hohenems has seen peak daily consumption surge to 5,900 cubic metres—a 50 per cent increase over its 4,000-cubic-metre average—forcing the municipality to source up to 80 per cent of its supply from the Rhine Valley drinking water association. The city has curtailed green-space irrigation and street cleaning, while utilities plan new groundwater development along the Ill River. Residents face appeals to avoid pool filling and vehicle washing.