Topics | Umweltbundesamt

The European Nitrates Directive, the Groundwater Directive and the German Groundwater and Drinking Water Ordinances require that exceedances of the limit value for nitrate of 50 milligrams per liter be prevented.Since 2008, the quality standard has been exceeded every year at almost one in six measuring points.Extensive changes to the fertilizer legislation have allowed the designation of particul... read more

To achieve the objectives for the protection of the marine environment, Germany has committed to comply with maximum concentrations of nitrogen at estuaries.On average for all rivers, these target concentrations are already met for the North Sea, but still exceeded for the Baltic Sea.Some of the North Sea and Baltic Sea tributaries still have very high concentrations.In order to fulfil the objecti... read more

Too high phosphorus concentrations are measured at more than half of all river measurement stations in Germany.The share has declined by around one third since the beginning of the 1980s. Extreme levels of pollution are very rare nowadays.Aim of the Sustainability Strategy is to meet the requirements for good status for phosphorous in all water bodies by 2030 at the latest.This requires a change i... read more

In 2021 no water body of transitional or coastal waters in the North and Baltic Seas achieved good or very good status.According to the European Water Framework Directive, by 2015 and with a deadline extension to 2027 all waters should have achieved at least a good ecological status.The time must now be used to reach the ambitious targets by 2027 at the latest.This will require considerable additi... read more

In 2021 only around 8 % of German streams and rivers were in at least a good ecological status or had at least a good ecological potential.According to the European Water Framework Directive, by 2015 with a time extension to 2027 all rivers must have achieved at least a good ecological status or potential.The time up to 2027 must be used to reach these demanding targets.The measures taken to date... read more

In 2021 24.7 % of the lakes in Germany were in at least good ecological status or showed at least a good ecological potential.According to the Water Framework Directive the target was 100 % by 2015. Now there is a deadline extension until 2027.Germany is still far from achieving this target. The timeframe until 2027 must be used to achieve these ambitious goals. read more