Tesla concludes new water contract in Grünheide: compromise reached!

Tesla concludes new water contract in Grünheide: compromise reached!

After a long phase of heated discussions and some passionate protest, Tesla has finally signed a new water contract for his work in Grünheide. It took almost two years for an agreement to be reached with the Strausberg-Kner (WSE) water association. The water association willingly agreed on this compromise in April 2025, after he had even threatened to stop the water supply, since Tesla partly exceeded the limit values ​​for dirty water by six times. Tagesschau reports that there are now higher limit values ​​for the load on wastewater and Tesla at the same time returns large amounts of unnecessary water contingents.

The original contract of 2020 provided for a maximum delivery of 1.8 million cubic meters of water per year. Now the water association receives a number of rights and can obtain around 400,000 cubic meters less from Tesla annually. This is a significant decline, which will have a significant impact on both production and use on site. At least Tesla can now be shown as a advisor: The water consumption in the factory has already been significantly reduced, which had a positive impact on wastewater quality and reduces the pressure on legislation.

tensions and protests

The negotiations were not always harmonious. In the run -up to the WSE, there were some concerned voices, including the association chairman Thomas Krieger, who expressed his optimism about the compromise. However, the relationship between Tesla and the WSE leadership, especially André Bähler, has not remained unchallenged after these discussions. Protests against the agreement were organized by activists from the alliance "Testla the Hahn", which in the past also had an aggressive manner against the work and its water consumption.

How important the topic of water and wastewater management is beyond regional framework shows a look at the national water management. According to data from Destatis, drinking water and wastewater fees are collected every three years. The latest information on fees and costs for households offer a differentiated view of the water distribution in Germany. So it is not only a topic of local importance, but also has an impact on the entire infrastructure and environmental policy.

The future of Tesla in Grünheide

Tesla has been producing electric cars in Grünheide since March 2022 and has not only boosted the local economy, but also created numerous jobs. Nevertheless, everyone involved must make sure to work as part of the legal requirements in order to avoid environmental law conflicts. The lower water authority has rated the groundwater protection as sufficient, but the challenge remains to combine sustainability with economic growth.

The last developments show that large companies like Tesla also have to adapt to the rules of the region. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what steps the company will take next to consolidate the relationship with the environment and the authorities.