New groundwater rescue concept for Berlin: Remediation is getting stricter!

New groundwater rescue concept for Berlin: Remediation is getting stricter!

On August 11, 2025, the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment (SenMVKU) in Berlin published newly revised assessment criteria for groundwater pollution. These updated criteria apply in the Berlin List 2025 and are based on the administrative law and technical foundations of the original Berlin List from 2005. A central goal of these adjustments is to specify the requirements for the remediation of water damage in order to ensure water quality in the metropolis.

The revised list is also defined by adjusted insignificance threshold values ​​(GFS values) set by the Federal/State Water Working Group (LAWA). The updated version clearly distinguishes between harmful groundwater contamination and groundwater contamination that requires remediation. These changes are the result of the amended Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV), which has been in force since August 1, 2023.

Extended requirements and recommendations for action

In addition to the fundamental reassessment, the LAWA also published a new specialist module and various recommendations for action to promote water-sensitive settlement development. These comprehensive measures, outlined in the December 2024 release, are critical to adapting to the challenges of climate change. Dealing with water shortages and the quality of groundwater are central issues that will be crucial in the next few years.

This provides a more comprehensive picture of the effects of climatic changes on water availability in Germany Federal Environment Agency. The WADKlim project offers proposed solutions and recommendations for action on water management, which contribute to both the German climate change adaptation strategy and the National Water Strategy. Water scarcity has complex causes, including climatic factors, water quality problems and increasing water demand in urban areas.

To combat the challenges of water scarcity, measures such as improving water retention, strengthening water efficiency and promoting site-adapted water reuse are crucial. Policy makers are called upon to integrate these strategies into their decision-making processes to ensure sustainable water use.

Outlook and future challenges

As drought progresses and the associated uncertainties in water use make it clear that existing measures may not be sufficient. A regular collection of missing data on water use as well as new infrastructural solutions are considered necessary in order to ensure future water availability and minimize usage conflicts.

The new evaluation criteria from SenMVKU and LAWA's recommendations for action are therefore important steps in the right direction to protect water quality in Berlin even under the conditions of climate change and to ensure a fair water supply for all user groups.