The dispute over groundwater in one of the driest regions of Germany is coming to a head. The trigger is a push by electric car manufacturer Tesla. According to research by stern and RTL, the US group is independently looking for groundwater reserves for its Brandenburg car factory in the Fürstenwalde region. In some areas near the Tesla factory, some of which is located in a water protection area, consumption for private households is already capped. The criticism of the plans is correspondingly high.

"Not only will nature suffer massively from further water withdrawals, but the drinking water supply for an entire region will also be endangered," says Christiane Schröder, Managing Director of the Brandenburg Nature Conservation Union. The association wants to monitor the company's actions and examine legal steps.

"There is not enough water here," says local resident Steffen Schorcht from the Grünheide citizens' initiative. "Tesla is not allowed to independently pump water or expand the factory. It is unacceptable for Tesla to dig up the water for us." Tesla left a request unanswered.

The company may have gone looking for water because the factory is to be expanded. In the long term, up to 500,000 cars a year are to be built there. Production is considered water-intensive. Tesla wants to build another hundred hectares. The clearing of 70 hectares of pine forest started at the end of October. The Grünheide municipal council is to decide on the expansion of the plant this week.