On the article "Kissenbrück wants to remain autonomous"

In the article "Kissenbrück wants to remain autonomous" of 8 July 2010, Wolfenbütteler Nachrichten reported about a possible fusion of the "Samtgemeinde (joint community) Asse" with another joint community. In this context it was also mentioned that there were concerns that the drinking water of the Samtgemeinde Kissenbrück might be contaminated on account of the community’s vicinity to the Asse repository. Even measurements on a regular basis could not detect the radioactive share, since no one was looking for it.

Against the background of the legitimate debates about the safety of the Asse II mine near Remlingen it is comprehensible that the citizens of Kissenbrück ask themselves whether their drinking water can still be consumed without concern. Generally, it must at first be pointed out that the drinking water pumped in Kissenbrück does not originate from the Asse mountain range. On account of the situation in situ, it is also not possible currently for radionuclides to be released from the Asse mine via the groundwater path. The groundwater path plays a major role in questions of long-term safety.

Despite of the situation described above, the drinking water of Kissenbrück is examined on a regular basis. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection took over the Asse mine on 1 January 2009 and has agreed, in view of the understandable feeling of insecurity, to carry out measurements on a regular basis. Since the beginning of 2009, the drinking water is checked on a monthly basis to see if it contains radionuclides. The BfS publishes the measurement results (in German) on the internet.

The samples are examined by the BfS control centre for drinking water in Berlin-Karlshorst for artificial radionuclides, especially for caesium-137 and tritium. These radionuclides are particularly mobile and are therefore suitable indicators of possible contaminations of the drinking water of Kissenbrück. The results show that the drinking water does not contain any radionuclides from the Asse II mine.

Furthermore, the drinking water is examined by the University of Regensburg twice a year to see if it contains plutonium-239, caesium-137 or strontium-90 and the results are published in the annual report on radiation protection of the Asse II mine. Here as well, the results show that the drinking water does not contain any radionuclides from the Asse II mine.

The BfS had informed about the flow paths of the drinking water in the Asse (in German) and on Kissenbrück in May 2009 at a public event.