Austrian towns impose water‑saving measures amid heatwave

A severe heatwave has pushed water consumption to record levels in several Austrian municipalities. In Traun, mayor Karl‑Heinz Koll announced a voluntary water‑saving ordinance, urging residents to forgo pool filling, limit garden watering to early morning or evening, and avoid unnecessary uses such as car washes or running water while brushing teeth. He warned, “It is not five past twelve, it is five before twelve.”

In Styria, the municipality of St. Martin am Wöllmißberg pre‑filled a high‑capacity tank with about 20,000 L of drinking water and advised citizens to boil tap water as a precaution after recent pipe work. Nearby towns such as Grafendorf, Gleinstätten and the wider Wies‑Eibiswald water‑association area issued similar appeals, asking people to reduce lawn irrigation, postpone private car washes and report any pool‑filling plans to avoid supply peaks.

These coordinated actions aim to prevent short‑term shortages and keep the drinking‑water system stable throughout the ongoing heat spell.