German Holy Water

Rivers and aquifers full of it.

An outrcy of "don't you touch my water" has rippled through Germany in recent weeks in response to the EU planning to open up national drinking water markets to EU wide competitive bidding.

Petitions confirming the almost holy status of German drinking water distribution have garnered over a million signatures in this country.

At stake is the current largely public or semi-public system, and the battle over control has been fierce.

Those against letting companies rule talk about a landgrab of epic proportions, while the proponents talk of the benefits of free markets and whisper about dismantling a system that is rife with local nepotism.

Higher prices and lower quality are, to the K-landnews, valid arguments against wholesale liberalization. Berlin's water distribution is an example of this, so the argument is not just fearmongering and conjecture.

The local water company in our region was formed out of many small town suppliers and had done a very good job, as far as we newcomers can tell.

Our water is free of chlorine and tastes great straight from the tab.

The same is true for many non-urban suppliers throughout the country, and it is no wonder citizens want to keep it that way.

The K-landnews team is weary of the cozy nepotism of local politicians and their semi-public utility companies, but we know that the free marketeers behave in the same manner. The main differences are that there will be a lot more money involved, and that they have the best lawyers.

The K-landers can fall back on the water fountain in front of town hall.

Coming from springs in the woods, that water is of outrageously good quality. The fountain sports "no drinking water" signs for only one reason: the town does not want to spend money on testing and maintenance.

The good burgers here took matters into their own hands and had the water tested -- that's where our "outrageously good" comes from.

The latest news out of Brussels, home of the sprouts and the EU Commission, is that German concerns will be "taken into account" in the liberalization framework.