Status: 06/27/2022 04:44 a.m
Brandenburg is particularly affected by drought. At the same time, consumption is increasing there, for example due to more and more pools – and the new Tesla factory. There are solutions, but they are expensive.
There are more than 3000 lakes in Brandenburg, but the water is still becoming scarce. The past few years of drought are making themselves felt. Nevertheless: In Berlin and Brandenburg, more water is being used than it has been for 25 years. In Brandenburg, 120.1 liters of water were used per person per day in 2019. In 2016, consumption in Brandenburg was still 111.4 liters.
“We are dealing with constantly falling water levels,” explains Irina Engelhardt, a hydrogeologist at the Technical University in Berlin. There are regional differences in water resources and seasonal fluctuations. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that less and less water will be available in the long term.
Water rationing for new customers
That is why the water association WSE in Brandenburg is also taking action: In December last year, it began agreeing on a cap on the water supply in contracts with private households as new customers. Accordingly, private households that lay a new water connection in a newly built house, for example, may only use 105 liters of water per person per day.
Water expert Karsten Rinke from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research sees the cause in the climate: “For 25 years we had a decline in water consumption, but now you can see the climate influence: people shower more often in summer, and then there are the many pools and garden irrigation .” This is probably why water consumption is increasing sharply, especially in Brandenburg. Many people live there on garden plots.
Not an isolated case
Other federal states are also struggling with water shortages. So far, however, there is hardly any uniform data on nationwide availability. The independent and donation-financed journalism project “Correctiv” got to the bottom of the cause. The center evaluated data on legal disputes surrounding the water supply. “In eleven out of sixteen federal states, legal proceedings relating to the water supply are increasing. This is a sign that things are getting tighter,” says Katharina Huth, climate reporter at “Correctiv”.
A reliable water supply is not only essential for citizens, but also for companies. The focus is always on the electric car manufacturer Tesla in Grünheide. Despite the great lack of water in the region, the large industrial company was settled here. Anke Hermann, head of the department for water and soil protection in the Brandenburg Ministry for Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection explains: “Each time a company settles, proof of reserve must be provided.” A proof of reserve is an expert opinion that proves that a company does not use more water than is available.
Water pipelines to Brandenburg?
The TU hydrologist Engelhardt sees possible solutions in the diversion or treatment of water. With this, the valuable resource can be routed from areas with surpluses via pipelines to Brandenburg. At the same time, Engelhardt also considers desalination to be a realistic alternative: “The transport routes to the Baltic Sea are relatively short and the water obtained is of excellent quality.”
However, both solutions would be very expensive and would cost the country several hundred million euros. One thing is clear: In order to be able to guarantee a water supply in the coming years, new and sustainable solutions must be found as quickly as possible.