Safety · Potsdam, Vierlinden, and Copenhagen
Brandenburg's lakes get 94% top marks as heatwave draws Berliners to the water, but lifeguards warn of phone-distracted parents
With temperatures forecast above 30°C this weekend, thousands from Berlin are expected to seek relief in Brandenburg's bathing waters, where 94% of 253 monitored sites carry the top quality grade.
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In brief
Of 253 Brandenburg bathing waters assessed for 2026, 238 received the top "excellent" grade; seven were "good" and one "sufficient".
Weinbergsee and Hohenjesarscher See in Märkisch-Oderland have been flagged for potential blue-green algae mass development.
The European Environment Agency found 90.9% of Germany's roughly 2,300 bathing sites had excellent water quality, placing the country seventh among 29 nations.
DLRG says far more lakes are unguarded than supervised, and the organisation needs more volunteer lifeguards across all areas.
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.
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Sources and context
- DIE WELTWas sie vor dem Badeausflug nach Brandenburg wissen sollten
- ZEIT ONLINEBadewetter angekündigt: Was sie vor dem Badeausflug nach Brandenburg wissen sollten
- N-tvBerlin & Brandenburg: Was sie vor dem Badeausflug nach Brandenburg wissen sollten
- Süddeutsche ZeitungWas sie vor dem Badeausflug nach Brandenburg wissen sollten
- DLRG spokesperson
- Spokesperson for the Deutsche-Lebensrettungs-Gesellschaft in Brandenburg, commenting on lifeguard coverage and bather behaviour
- Places
- Potsdam, Copenhagen
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