Chaotic situations in Mechernich's barracks might be attributable to the actions of untamed wildlife.
Ease in the German Military Base in Mechernich: By the end of the week, there was a clean bill of health regarding the contamination of the drinking water. The authorities then concluded that the damage to the fence surrounding the water tank wasn't likely a result of political sabotage. It's even plausible that no human was responsible.
Clearance at the North Rhine-Westphalia Military Station in Mechernich: Investigators found no signs of a politically motivated act after inspecting damaged fencing, as announced by the Euskirchen police headquarters. The unauthorized entry into the enclosed area of a water tank is "unusual". It cannot be definitively ruled out that the fence damage was caused by "wildlife".
On Thursday, damaged fencing was found on the premises of the city's water tower, from which the nearby military base also obtains water. On Friday, the city reported that preliminary tests showed no contamination in the drinking water. However, due to further investigations, residents were advised to boil the water before use as a precautionary measure until further notice.
The military base in Mechernich, North Eifel, lifted the boil water advisory for the town on Sunday. The water is safe, as comprehensive tests by the city works and the military have confirmed, the city announced. The health department also gave the green light. No harmful microorganisms were detected.
Further tests also detected "no signs of contamination in the drinking water", the authorities announced. The responsible authority of the Bonn police headquarters has now completed its investigation into the incident.
On Wednesday, there were incidents at other military bases in North Rhine-Westphalia. There was a suspicion of tampering with the internal drinking water system at the Air Force support base in Cologne-Wahn. An intruder was repelled at the support base in Geilenkirchen, according to NATO information. However, tests of the drinking water in both cases also revealed no abnormalities.
The German Armed Forces expressed relief after the Bonn police headquarters concluded their investigation, finding no signs of contamination in the drinking water at the military base in Mechernich. Despite initial concerns, it's been established that wildlife could possibly have contributed to the damage of the fence surrounding the water tank.
