“Water for everyone?” – a special edition of the BUA Open Space series
We take water coming out of the tap for granted – but for how much longer? Resources are becoming scarcer in Berlin and the surrounding area too: less rain, falling groundwater levels, and growing demand from the population, industry, and agriculture are putting pressure on the system.
At BUA OPEN SPACE during the Long Night of Science, we invited our audience to discuss the future of water in Berlin with researchers and stakeholders from politics and culture.
Who was there?
The panel included Prof. Dr. Irina Engelhardt, hydrogeologist at TU Berlin, Frauke Bathe, head of the Water Management and Geology Department at the Berlin Senate Administration, and Dr. Anna-Lisa Dieter, curator at Humboldt Labor. The discussion was moderated by Mads Pankow.
Brandenburg as a problem child
Right at the start, Irina Engelhardt made it clear that Brandenburg is particularly badly affected. The region has comparatively low rainfall, a dry, continental climate, high summer temperatures – and high evaporation due to the evergreen coniferous forests. As a result, water is a structurally scarce commodity here.
Water, society, and culture
Dr. Anna-Lisa Dieter drew attention to the social and cultural dimensions of the water issue. She spoke about the tension between science and activism—a topic that also plays a role in the upcoming exhibition “on water. WasserWissen in Berlin", which will open in October at the Humboldt Forum.
What is the city of Berlin doing?
Frauke Bathe described the current strategy of the Berlin administration: the focus is currently on communication, not regulation. But public pressure is growing – as evidenced by the lively participation from the audience.