Database connection pool exhaustion or misconfiguration

django_db_new_connections_total grows faster than expected relative to request volume. Indicates connection pooling is not working properly, connections are not being reused, or pool size is too small.

Review DATABASES configuration and verify connection pooling settings (CONN_MAX_AGE for persistent connections). Check for connection leaks where connections are opened but not closed. Consider using pgbouncer or similar connection pooler. Monitor db.client.connections.usage to track active connections.