On 9 and 10 April 2024, the first joint water congress took place in Cottbus, organized by the Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHKs) from Berlin-Brandenburg together with the Verein Berliner Kaufleute und Industrieller e. V. (VBKI) and the Berlin-Brandenburg regional group of the Verband kommunaler Unternehmen e. V. (VKU). Fabian Hölzlberger from the ZuWaKo team was present on the second day. To kick off the event, three specialist presentations provided a comprehensive picture of the current water situation in Lusatia. The combination of stakeholders from business, politics, environmental protection, administration and research led to many exciting discussions on the challenges of water in Lusatia. Joint and early action as well as the reduction of bureaucracy were among the key points of the discussions. There were ample opportunities for networking and solutions to various topics were sought together in interactive forums in the afternoon. The many participants were enthusiastic about the event and there was an intensive exchange of ideas, including during the coffee breaks. Due to the great interest and the explosive nature of the topic, it is planned to repeat the event on an ongoing basis.
