Overview

• Tesla and the Wasserverband Strausberg-Erkner finalized a contract on June 13 allowing the Grünheide factory to keep recycling 100 percent of its process wastewater
• The deal raises allowable pollution thresholds for effluent after Tesla reduced its water consumption and shifted from industrial to sanitary-style discharge
• Under the new terms Tesla can return about 400,000 cubic meters of its contracted water quota to the regional supplier, lessening local withdrawals
• Environmental groups such as the ‘‘Tesla den Hahn abdrehen’’ alliance held demonstrations over fears that the relaxed discharge limits could compromise local drinking supplies
• Tesla maintains that its water use at Grünheide remains below the electric-vehicle industry average and hopes the agreement will close a years-long public debate