Overview
- Kreis Wesel approved a Rhine bathing ban that takes effect in mid-May and runs through 2030, with fines up to €1,000 for violations.
- The rules also prohibit wading once the water is above ankle depth across Wesel, Xanten, Voerde, Rheinberg, and Dinslaken.
- Landrat Ingo Brohl said ship suction and fast currents can knock people off their feet even near the bank.
- The move extends a patchwork of local bans already in place in Cologne, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Krefeld, Leverkusen, Dormagen, Meerbusch, and Neuss.
- Authorities are posting prominent warning signs, while questions remain over whether federal or municipal bodies have the legal lead on river bans.