Remember this? Back in 2021, Elon Musk was literally laughing when concerns were raised about Tesla’s water use in Germany. Asked about regional water scarcity, he dismissed the concerns as “completely wrong.” “Look around you,” he said. “There’s water everywhere here.” The factory was built anyway. Fast forward, and the region is under significant water pressure. Tesla’s factory requires around 1.4 million cubic metres of water a year, while local residents have faced restrictions, including a 105-litre-per-person daily limit during the water supply dispute. And then there’s the wastewater. In 2024, the local water authority said Tesla was exceeding permitted phosphorus and nitrogen limits, reportedly reaching up to six times the legal levels. Authorities even discussed cutting off the factory’s wastewater connection. Turns out, looking at a lake and understanding hydrogeology are two very different things.