Brandenburg's lakes get 94% top marks as heatwave draws Berliners to the water, but lifeguards warn of phone-distracted parents

Water quality snapshot

For the 2026 season, Brandenburg's health authorities assessed 253 designated bathing waters across the state's districts and independent cities. Of those, 238 sites (94%) received an "excellent" rating, seven were classified as "good", and one location, the Kliestower See in Teltow-Fläming, was marked "sufficient". The European Environment Agency in Copenhagen separately ranked Germany seventh out of 29 countries analysed, with 90.9% of roughly 2,300 nationwide testing points achieving excellent water quality.

Two lakes in Märkisch-Oderland carry active warnings: water testers at Weinbergsee in Vierlinden and the nearby Hohenjesarscher See have flagged a risk of blue-green algae mass development.

Lifeguard coverage gap

A spokesperson for the Deutsche-Lebensrettungs-Gesellschaft (DLRG) in Brandenburg said no official survey tracks how many lakes have lifeguard supervision. The number of unguarded swimming lakes far exceeds those where volunteer crews monitor the water.

We actually need support in all areas — above all, volunteer lifeguards.

Distraction at the water's edge

DLRG volunteers have repeatedly observed that many adults lose sight of their children and fellow bathers. The spokesperson described a pattern of parents glued to their phones while children play at the waterline.

We see many parents hanging on their phones while their children play at the water's edge.

The organisation is campaigning for bathers to watch out for one another, stressing that water brings joy but also carries risks that demand mutual attention.

What to expect this weekend

Forecasts point to the first proper swimming weather of the season in Brandenburg, with temperatures exceeding 30°C. The combination of heat and mostly excellent water quality is expected to draw large crowds from Berlin and across the region to the state's lakes.