Bad Schwalbach in Hesse: the outdoor pool gives away water to farmers and gardeners

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Outdoor pool in Bad Schwalbach: 800,000 liters of water to give away

Photo: Jörg Halisch / dpa

Because of the dry summer, the outdoor pool in Bad Schwalbach in southern Hesse has started an unusual campaign.

Interested parties have been able to collect water there for watering or for fire-fighting water tanks since Monday.

"It's incredibly busy," said lifeguard Richard van Rijn about the rush.

Farmers drove up with large equipment and had water tanks filled up at the outdoor pool.

Around 800,000 liters of water could be handed in by Thursday, it said.

According to van Rijn, the water is suitable for watering because it was cleaned of chlorine after the end of the season.

"The chlorine is distorted by the environment, air, weather and sun," explained the lifeguard.

In addition, the water was filtered several times.

However, it is not only used for watering, but also to fill up fire-fighting water tanks.

Fire engines were also filled on Monday.

"I had the idea a few years ago," said van Rijn about the campaign.

This summer, the dry spell prompted him to put the plan into action.

The "Frankfurter Neue Presse" reported that the water would normally be fed into the sewage system.

The drought is making it difficult for farmers in Hesse to create.

lmd/dpa