Water shortage risk in southern Sweden has expanded across a large part of the country, with unusually low groundwater levels and reduced flows in rivers and streams now affecting areas from Skåne in the south to Stockholm and Uppsala further north. The latest notice from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) remains in effect at least until Friday.
According to SVT, the notice now covers 14 counties: Blekinge, Skåne, Kronoberg, Halland, Gotland, Kalmar, Jönköping, Östergötland, Västra Götaland, Södermanland, Örebro, Västmanland, Stockholm and Uppsala.
Water shortage risk has continued to expand
The current situation is the result of a prolonged period in which groundwater reserves, lakes and waterways have received less replenishment than usual.
In early July, SMHI reported that the risk of water shortages had reached 11 counties, after Stockholm, Uppsala, Halland and Östergötland were added to the areas already affected. By late July, the number had increased to 12. The latest assessment brings the total to 14.
Southern Sweden normally replenishes much of its groundwater, lakes and rivers during autumn and winter, when evaporation is lower and vegetation absorbs less water. But winter 2025–2026 and the following spring brought less precipitation than normal, leaving water reserves in a weak position before the summer.
Summer rainfall has provided limited relief. SMHI said in July that even relatively heavy rainfall had produced little visible increase in river flows, because much of the water evaporates or is absorbed by vegetation before reaching groundwater, rivers and lakes.
Private wells and ecosystems face the most immediate risks
For households connected to municipal water systems, the SMHI water shortage notice means local authorities may introduce restrictions or ask residents to reduce consumption if conditions deteriorate.
The effects can be more immediate for people relying on private wells. Low groundwater levels can reduce the amount of water available and can also affect its quality.
Agriculture and natural ecosystems are also exposed. Low flows can reduce the amount of water available for irrigation, while rivers and streams with less water can create difficult conditions for plants and aquatic wildlife.
SMHI and the Geological Survey of Sweden (Sveriges geologiska undersökning, SGU) issue water shortage notices when groundwater levels or river flows are unusually low and are expected to remain so over the following weeks. The assessments are updated weekly.
Southern Sweden is increasingly exposed to summer water stress
The current shortage fits a broader pattern identified by SMHI. The agency says low river flows and low groundwater levels are expected to become more common in southern Sweden as temperatures rise, evaporation increases and the growing season becomes longer.
This creates a particular pressure during summer, when water demand is often highest at the same time as natural availability is lowest.
For now, the notice does not mean that all affected areas are experiencing an acute shortage of drinking water. But its geographical reach shows that low water availability is no longer confined to isolated islands or agricultural districts. It now affects a substantial part of Sweden’s most populated southern and central regions.
