Swiss bans car washing and garden watering amid acute drought
Nearly all 26 cantons have restricted water use as lake and river flows fall, and some shipping services have been canceled.
Switzerland has imposed strict water restrictions after MeteoSuisse raised the drought warning to level four for the entire country. Nearly all of the 26 cantons have introduced bans on water use, including washing cars, watering gardens and filling swimming pools. In Aargau and Basel, farmers are also barred from drawing water from rivers, raising concern as irrigation is disrupted during extreme heat. Water levels on Lake Zurich, Lake Constance and the Lower Rhine have also dropped, prompting some shipping companies to cancel routes. In central Swiss mountain areas, including around Mount Pilatus near Lucerne, residents are now relying on drinking water deliveries by tanker truck or tractor after local springs dried up.