Bathing season starts under the best conditions The bathing season runs until September 15, 2026.

Oberbergischer Kreis. With the start of the Pentecost holidays, the bathing season in Oberbergischer Kreis also begins. The popular reservoirs of the region will attract numerous visitors in the coming weeks. Already at the start of the season, excellent conditions for the bathing waters in Oberbergischer Kreis are evident, so that once again very good bathing water quality can be reported at the start of the season.

At the total of 13 official bathing sites at Aggertalsperre, Bevertalsperre, Bruchertalsperre, and Lingesetalsperre, water quality meets the high requirements of the EU Bathing Water Directive. The bathing waters are regularly monitored throughout the season. For this purpose, the Health Department of Oberbergischer Kreis collects water samples at all official bathing sites every four weeks. The analyses are carried out in the laboratory of the Aggerverband. In particular, the microbiological parameters Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci are checked to ensure the health protection of bathers.

In addition to microbiological analyses, visible hygiene factors are also considered. These include, among other things, the water's visibility depth and possible occurrences of cyanobacteria (so-called blue-green algae), which can be noticeable through bluish-green discoloration.

“The monitoring of bathing waters is a key task for us in the area of preventive health protection. Citizens in Oberbergischer Kreis can rely on everything being done to ensure the quality of the waters and a worry-free leisure experience,” explains the head of the District Health Department, Kaija Elvermann.

The current measurement values for water quality, visibility depth, and water temperature are regularly published and evaluated according to the criteria of the EU Bathing Water Directive. Information on all bathing waters in Oberbergischer Kreis is available online at www.obk.de/badegewaesser. 

Additionally, the latest test results are posted directly at the bathing sites. Citizens also still have the opportunity to report any irregularities or sightings of blue-green algae in the bathing waters via email to trinkwasser@obk.de.