Overview
- On Monday local leaders led by Landrätin Daniela Groß formally asked Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger to suspend or not extend the 'Lech Ost' exploration permits until water-supply risks are clarified.
- The municipality of Reichling currently depends on two water extraction sites and the county says recent attempts to find a reliable third well have so far failed.
- Measurements taken near the drilling area detected elevated zinc, barium and BTEX, with some values above the Geringfügigkeitsschwellenwerte (GFS), raising concerns about groundwater contamination.
- The developer, Energieprojekt Lech Kinsau 1 GmbH, completed a test bore in September 2025 and is still assessing economic viability while signalling plans that could include a roughly 3,300 metre well and up to ten boreholes.
- If the ministry withholds or suspends extensions, it would prioritize public water service over private exploration and could delay or limit drilling activity while authorities map catchment areas and complete further water tests, a decision that would directly affect local households, farms and businesses.