Swiss communities impose water bans as drought deepens

At least 151 municipalities in Switzerland have banned certain uses of water this summer, with fines of up to 2,000 Swiss francs, SRF reported. More than 194 municipalities have called on residents to save water.

The restrictions vary widely. On June 22, five villages in the canton of Fribourg told residents not to fill or refill swimming pools, water gardens, or wash vehicles and terraces.

In one village in the canton of Ticino, residents may water flowerbeds only on certain days, depending on whether their house number is even or odd. Elsewhere, people may water vegetable gardens by hand but not with a hose, with violations punishable by a fine of 1,000 francs.

Many municipalities facing the same weather conditions have taken no formal measures and have instead appealed to residents to use their judgement.

Switzerland is not running out of water despite low rainfall this year, but supplies are unevenly distributed. Some municipalities fear shortages while others have no immediate concerns.

SRF identified three main reasons for the restrictions. The first is an actual shortage. Communities that rely on local springs can see supplies fall quickly during droughts, while deeper groundwater takes much longer to respond.

In Rossinière, a mountain village in the canton of Vaud, authorities banned garden watering after springs dried up. They warned residents that a single thunderstorm would not be enough to replenish them.

The second reason is cost. Pfungen, 20 kilometres from Zurich, relies mainly on its own springs but also buys drinking water from the neighbouring city of Winterthur to cover peak demand and bridge shortages. Its contract sets a price for an agreed volume over several days. If Pfungen exceeds that amount, the price increases fivefold.

To stay within its contractual limit, the municipality asked residents not to water lawns or use car washes and to take shorter showers.

The third factor is infrastructure. A network designed for normal demand can run dry on a hot evening when residents shower and water their gardens at the same time. The Swiss Association of Gas and Water Professionals said infrastructure was not built for the peak loads that occur during heatwaves.

Municipalities rarely use prices to limit consumption. Water suppliers may charge more when supplies are scarce if this mechanism has been included in their tariff regulations in advance. Several French cities, including Toulouse, use this approach. In Switzerland, however, the association said water is so cheap, at 2.30 francs per 1,000 litres, that prices would have to rise considerably before they changed people’s behaviour. Municipalities therefore rely on appeals and, when necessary, bans.

The Swiss Parliament has called for a national water strategy, which is expected by the end of 2027. The Federal Office for the Environment said the number of water suppliers would not play a decisive role and that responsibility would remain with the cantons and municipalities.

At national level, authorities can issue orders only when there is severe water scarcity, defined as a situation in which the cantons can no longer guarantee at least four litres of drinking water per person per day.