The water traffic light is green again! But we still need to use water wisely.
SWK’s water traffic light provides early information on the status of the drinking water supply. It will be switched back to green on July 8, 2026! Water withdrawal, which had temporarily reached annual peak levels of over 30,000 m³ per day, has now dropped back to around 25,000 m³ per day.
Temperatures are dropping, and the measures are working!
The flow from the Lauterspring spring and the groundwater levels remain stable. The water treatment plant no longer needs to operate at full capacity around the clock. Despite the improvement in the situation, SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern continues to ask residents to use drinking water sparingly.
While temperatures were still at record levels a week ago, the situation has now noticeably eased thanks to more pleasant temperatures. “Our customers have made a crucial contribution by using water sparingly,” emphasizes Michael Beine (SWK Head of Technical Service / Pipeline Media). “A heartfelt thank you to everyone who heeded our request. It made a significant difference.” Furthermore, the school break in Rhineland-Palatinate contributed to the improvement, as some of the residents of Kaiserslautern are now on vacation.
The Palatinate Forest: A Highlight of the Region!
The Palatinate Forest, with the Lauterspring spring and its 23 deep groundwater wells, continues to provide a reliable supply of water. In total, SWK extracts approximately 7.5 million cubic meters of groundwater annually using its own water extraction facilities.
Despite the dry spells in the spring and in June, the groundwater level remains at a satisfactory level. Forest soils are very good at storing water, while the tree cover provides shade for the ground. The Palatinate Forest is one of the largest groundwater reserves in Rhineland-Palatinate. The entire region benefits from this. The porous red sandstone allows precipitation to seep away quickly. The filtered water then collects in large underground reservoirs. Kaiserslautern is known for its soft, low-calcium water (hardness level 1). The water quality in the region is excellent.
You can find more effective ways to conserve water HERE
The Palatinate Forest: A Highlight of the Region!
“Even though the green water alert has eased the situation and we’ve been able to adjust some of our water-saving recommendations, please always use drinking water sparingly,” Michael Beine urges the people of the region. “Water is a precious resource. Here in the Palatinate, too, we’re increasingly noticing the effects of climate change. This has nothing to do with the weather or isolated hot summer days. These are long-term trends characterized by steadily rising average temperatures and less precipitation. Only by using water carefully can we keep our supply stable in the long term. Please help us do this!”
You can find effective water-saving measures HERE
A Look Back at Precipitation—Lauterspring as an Indicator
We always keep an eye on the amount of precipitation and, consequently, the flow rate of the spring, such as that of the Lauterspring.
Above-average precipitation was recorded in 2024. However, 2025 was similar to the dry years that preceded it. At the beginning of 2026, there was slightly more rain than in previous years, but spring—and especially June—was drier again.
- 2024 was an intensive rainfall year, which positively stimulated groundwater recharge. Kaiserslautern can look back on 941 l/sqm of precipitation in 2024.
- In 2025, there was only around 683 l/sqm of precipitation. The winter was below average. Spring was even one of the driest on record. The summer was also below average and there was also less precipitation than average at the end of the year.
- 2026 showed average precipitation in January, while February was well above the long-term average. In March and May, precipitation was significantly below the long-term average, at 62% of the average in each month. In the dry month of April, rainfall was only 23% of the amount recorded in previous years. May and, above all, June were drier than average.
The values of the Lauterspring at a glance
Precipitation affects the flow rate of the spring and the water level of the 23 deep wells in and around Kaiserslautern. With a delay of approx. 3 months to the rainfall, the spring and its flow rates take over. Below you can see the development of the water volume (in liters per second) of the Lauterspring:
While the 2024 spring temporarily had a very high discharge due to the rainy years 2023 and 2024 (peak value in July 2024 102.7 l/s), this decreased again from the early summer of the year – especially in the second half of the year after the dry spring and the below-average summer. In December, we reached the lowest value of the year to date of 47.7 l/s. An annual average of 66.2 l left the water traffic light on green.
The first two months of 2026 recorded significantly lower values—49.1 and 45.9 l/s—compared to the same periods in the previous year, which can be attributed to the relatively dry end of 2025. From March through April, the discharge remained stable at between 50 and 51 l/s, though this is significantly lower than in previous years.
Working Together for the Region—Thank you very much for your support!
We will continue to keep you informed about the status of the traffic lights in many ways. Especially when the traffic light phases change. We will keep you continuously informed about the current situation on the SWK blog. You will also receive information on our social media channels and, if necessary, in the daily press or on the radio.
Please be mindful of your water usage. By doing so, you’ll be making a valuable contribution to a safe and sustainable water supply in our region—not only during dry spells but also when the water traffic light is green.
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