Earth Science News
WATER WORLD
German town tells locals to boil water in fresh sabotage scare
German town tells locals to boil water in fresh sabotage scare
by AFP Staff Writers
Frankfurt, Germany (AFP) Aug 16, 2024

Authorities in a German town on Friday lifted restrictions imposed after fears of a possible sabotage of water supplies but told residents to boil water as a precaution for the time being.

Officials in the western town of Mechernich said a hole was discovered Thursday afternoon in a fence on the grounds of a water storage site that supplies Mechernich, several surrounding towns and a nearby military base.

The incident sparked concern the water may have been tampered with, just two days after a similar scare at the Cologne-Wahn military base in the same state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Initial analysis of water samples however showed that contamination with biological or chemical substances "can be ruled out", Mechernich authorities said on the town's website.

"This has significantly eased the situation," the statement said.

Further tests were still being carried out, the results of which are expected after the weekend.

An earlier ban on consuming tap water was lifted for some 10,000 residents in and around Mechernich, but they were nevertheless advised to boil the water before using it for drinking, cooking or teeth brushing.

A spokesman for the Bundeswehr military confirmed the incident when contacted by AFP.

The cut fence at the water site in Mechernich, located near a Bundeswehr base, was spotted after patrols were increased this week following possible sabotage at the Cologne-Wahn base.

The base near Cologne-Bonn airport was temporarily sealed off Wednesday after a hole was discovered in a fence near drinking water storage facilities.

Tests then showed "unusual values" in the water, the military said.

But the defence ministry said Friday that further analysis showed the values were within legally acceptable limits, and the tests did not confirm the water system had been tampered with.

Further investigations are still ongoing however, it added in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Around the same time, NATO announced there had been an attempted trespassing incident late Tuesday at its base in the western German town of Geilenkirchen, which houses AWACS reconnaissance aircraft.

No link was established with the Cologne incident, and NATO said there were no concerns about the water supply at Geilenkirchen.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday said the security scares "show we must remain vigilant".

Germany -- a key ally of Ukraine -- has been on high alert for sabotage and attacks on critical infrastructure in the country in the wake of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In April, investigators arrested two German-Russian men on suspicion of spying for Russia and planning attacks in Germany -- including on US army facilities -- to undermine military support for Ukraine.

mfp-sr/fec/kjm

X

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WATER WORLD
In Iraq's summer, residents of Kurdistan's Arbil ache for water
Arbil, Iraq (AFP) Aug 12, 2024
The taps have run dry, and the wells are almost empty. In the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, 80-year-old Babir hasn't bathed in weeks and impatiently waits for trucked-in water deliveries. "There is nothing worse than not having water," said Babir, who gave only his first name, in his modest house in Arbil's Darto suburb. As in several other densely populated areas of Arbil and its suburbs, Babir and his neighbours rely on groundwater as their primary water source. But for ye ... read more

WATER WORLD
'Monsoon brides': Extreme weather fuels Pakistan child marriages

North Korea moving thousands of flood victims to capital: KCNA

India PM vows support after deadly landslide

'Powerful' explosion hits ship in east China; Pavilion collapse kills six in eastern China

WATER WORLD
Cleveland-Made Automated Tech Embarks on Space Mission

AFRL Collaborative Automation For Manufacturing Systems Laboratory opens

UCLA Engineers Develop Shape-Shifting Metamaterial Inspired by Classic Toys

ICEYE Expands SAR Constellation with Four New Satellites

WATER WORLD
German town tells locals to boil water in fresh sabotage scare

Sea Lions Equipped with Cameras Help Uncover Uncharted Ocean Habitats

S.Africa police arrest man with 27 bags of poached abalone

Mediterranean Sea broke daily temperature record Thursday

WATER WORLD
Scottish and Irish Rock Formations Offer Rare Insight into Ancient Global Ice Age

Nepal flood caused by glacial lake outburst

Antarctica winter experiences prolonged heatwave

Arctic Svalbard sees record August temperature

WATER WORLD
'Five years of fire': Romanian farms wilt in drought

Global Agricultural Expansion Poses Significant Risks to Climate and Biodiversity

Farmers and Researchers Collaborate to Enhance Crop Testing Techniques

Greeks try tropical crops in climate change experiment

WATER WORLD
Ernesto exits Bermuda as downgraded to tropical storm; Ampil veers away from Japan

Floods kill 54 in northern Chad: governor

6.1-magnitude earthquake shakes Taiwan

Ernesto now a hurricane after drenching Puerto Rico; Typhoon Ampil approaches Japan

WATER WORLD
Niger army says 15 civilians killed in 'terrorist' attacks in west

USPACE and Space Agency Partner to Establish Aerospace Joint Venture in Cairo

C.Africa govt urges rebels to return to peace talks

Lawyers demand provisional release of two in DR Congo 'coup' trial

WATER WORLD
Neanderthal Adaptability Unveiled at Ancient Pyrenees Site

Discovery of the Smallest Arm Bone Illuminates Evolution of Homo floresiensis

Chinese woman loses appeal for right to freeze her eggs

Discovery of tiny bone sheds light on mysterious 'hobbit' humans

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.