Lawsuit against Baruth: secret contracts on water consumption uncovered!

Lawsuit against Baruth: secret contracts on water consumption uncovered!

A violent storm is brewing: The transparency platform “Ask the State” is fighting against the city of Baruth/Mark and has filed a lawsuit at the Potsdam Administrative Court. The reason for these legal actions are secret water contracts with Red Bull and Rauch, which are causing a sensation in the region. “Ask the State” is now demanding access to the contracts, information about the approved pumping volume of groundwater and correspondence regarding the takeover of the Brandenburg Urstromquelle. These demands are based on the Environmental Information Act, which guarantees access to environmentally relevant data. The Umweltbundesamt emphasizes that every person, including citizens' initiatives, has the right to request information on environmental issues.

The Brandenburg Green Alliance stands behind the lawsuit and doesn't mince words. Andrea Lübcke, the state chairwoman, emphasizes that the population must be informed about the conditions for water extraction. The water law is causing a heated debate because while Red Bull and Rauch took over the Brandenburg Urstromquelle in 2023, the city only made 8 percent of the annual groundwater extraction volume available to residents. This development raises questions, not least because a petition on this topic has already collected 27,000 signatures.

Water consumption under the microscope

Concerns about high groundwater consumption are not unfounded. A plant expansion, which was decided by the city council in March, could further aggravate the situation. Similar problems have already arisen at other large companies, such as Tesla in Grünheide, where there are also ongoing disputes over water contracts. The public discussion about these topics has become increasingly louder in recent years and is leading to an intensive discussion of the requirements for sustainable water management.

Hidden water contracts are not new. Municipalities and commercial companies regularly have to accept accusations that they are withholding essential information. These secret agreements not only endanger transparency, but also citizens' trust in the administration. The “Ask the State” platform wants to change that and demands uncompromising access to information. A good step in the right direction for fair use of our resources!

Anyone who is interested in environmental issues has clear demands: The Environmental Information Act has been in place since 2005 to protect the Humboldt right to water and landscape. In this sense, all relevant positions need a good hand in order to work transparently and sustainably.