Attention: Health Department warns of bathing risk in the large Alpsee!

Attention: Health Department warns of bathing risk in the large Alpsee!

Immenstadt, Deutschland - A refreshing bath in the Großer Alpsee could currently become more risk than a pleasure. The Health Department of Oberallgäu has urged the population in front of bathing in this popular waters near Immenstadt. Current measurements of July 7, 2025 show worryingly high germ values, in particular an exceeding of the permissible limit values for the dreaded bacterial tribe Escherichia coli (E. coli). The values for enterococci are also increased, which could be properly uncomfortable for bathers.

Such bacteria can trigger health complaints when bathing, with diarrhea and vomiting being the more harmless consequences. In some cases, more serious infections can occur. That is why the following applies: Baden in the large Alpsee is currently at your own risk. The health department plans to check after checking, the population will be informed immediately about the results, but until then you should rather do without the leap into the cool water.

warning signs for bathers

The visual inspection is the be -all and end -all for bathers - and not only because water color and quality are not unimportant when swimming. Visible signs such as cloudy, greenish-milk water or streaks on the surface can also indicate the presence of blue algae. In these cases too, a bath is not advisable.

But what about the general water quality in Germany's bathing waters? A look at the surveys of the Federal Environment Office shows that most waters in Germany perform well to very well. In the 2024 bathing season, over 13,200 water samples were evaluated and 98 percent of the bathing waters met the requirements of the EU bathing water guideline. It is remarkable that almost 91 percent received an excellent assessment. There are certainly also blacksmiths: nine bathing water was rated with "poor" and 148 bathing water had to be closed temporarily or for the entire season, many due to cyanobacteria and other water hygienic defects.

EU guidelines and updates for water quality

The EU bathing water guideline, which has regulated the monitoring of bathing water quality in Germany since 2008, is also a central element to ensure the health of bathers. The guideline came into force in 2006 and was implemented in 16 country regulations. The findings of recent years show that water quality remains stable in most regions. The federal states are monitored, while water samples are transmitted to the Federal Institute for Water Science (BFG) after the end of the season. There the data is prepared and forwarded to the European Commission, which summarizes the bathing water quality of the previous season in its annual report.

But until the new reports circulate the round, special caution is required. The following applies to the large Alpsee: There is currently a bathing ban on your own responsibility. If you want to protect yourself and your family, you should explore other swimming opportunities.

Stay informed about where you can jump into the water without hesitation and regularly find out about the current water quality reports, for example at Environmental Federal Office or Federal Environment Ministry .