“Now I can sleep with the window open again”

Benjamin Scheidegger (42) is relieved: “Now I can sleep with the window open again without the whole bedroom being lit.” Since this summer, the streetlight in front of the house shines directly into his apartment instead of just onto the street.

The lamp in front of his home in Flumenthal SO had been replaced with an LED lamp. Energy-saving, efficient, sustainable – the new light source promises many benefits. But for Scheidegger, the lamp was annoying.

He should pay himself

The street lamp was hung as if Scheidegger’s semi-detached house were a church or a statue, as Blick reported, shaking his head.

Already in the summer, Scheidegger complained to the municipality. She clarified – and had a solution: he could have a screen installed by energy supplier BKW, which operates the lamp. The cost: 170 francs. Scheidegger would have to pay for it himself.

polluter in service

The Flumenthaler didn’t like that at all. It’s about the principle, he said. The polluter must bear the costs. And the federal government also sees it this way: the Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) agrees with Scheidegger.

Although one does not comment on specific cases. But if a light emission is not legally compliant, the costs for corrective measures should be borne by the polluter.

Fine tuning months later

Clear then? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that? When confronted with the Bafu information, BKW saw no obligation. In principle, they only become active on behalf of the municipality. Only a fine adjustment of the amount of light has been made. Why did this only happen months after installation? According to BKW, there are several reasons for this.

Scheidegger discovers that BKW modified the lamp by looking at it. That’s the only reason he notices it: the lamp was actually a little dimmed. But the lamp still illuminates his house. “It hasn’t solved the problem, it’s just softened it a bit,” he says.

Finally something happens

The liberation is a few days later: A mechanic from BKW comes by and examines the situation. Then a major surgery takes place. “The entire assembly has been redone,” says Scheidegger with relief. The lamp is now lower and realigned. It no longer shines on the house, but almost exclusively on the street, he says happily.

It remains unclear who will pay for the whole thing and why the improvement has taken so long. The lamp disturbed Scheidegger’s nocturnal rest for almost six months. BKW explains that the order was planned by and in consultation with the municipality. This is responsible for public lighting.

BKW will probably pay it

The community declined to comment publicly. It is the wrong way to announce this through the press, explains Mayor Christoph Heiniger. He assumes that the costs will be borne by BKW. They are ultimately responsible for the planning and implementation of public lighting.

Whether Flumenthal or BKW: Benjamin Scheidegger is happy that the problem is over. It remains incomprehensible that it has taken so long to remedy the situation. “But nothing has changed until the report is in sight,” he says. It is clear to him that without a newspaper he would still hardly be able to sleep. But now the matter is settled. At least if you don’t get a hefty bill.