Chinese investors want to buy a source of drinking water in Valais – residents shocked “Mass-voll!” Referendum: In June we will vote on the Covid law for the third time

The rumor mill is spinning in Turtmann USA: “Mühlackern”, one of Switzerland’s largest water resources, is being sold. And for investors abroad. This despite the fact that the village often suffers from water shortages in the summer.

When asked by Blick, the municipality of Turtmann-Unterems confirms: “The municipality is aware of various negotiations, including with the Chinese.”

According to residents, the water source has been a thorny issue for decades: 40 years ago there were projects to use the water. 12 years ago, the community agreed to a 99-year source rights agreement with the local company. Since then he has tried in vain to sell the rights to the water, reports “Blick”.

His idea is to build a mineral water bottling plant. A project for about 30 million francs. The spring water flows through the Matterhorn. Probably the most famous mountain in Switzerland. The spring water will be sold abroad in a Matterhorn-motif bottle because the Swiss mineral water market is already saturated, he said. Chinese investors would be very interested in the project.

Valais investors would be interested

However, there is also an investor from Valais who would be interested in the project and offer several million francs for the rights to the spring water, “Blick” reports. However, the offer is worse than that of foreign prospects.

Residents are shocked by the negotiations with Chinese investors. A resident reports that she was not even allowed to wash her car in the summer because they had to save water. “And now this resource, which we can probably put to good use one day, is going to be sold abroad? It’s bad,” she told Blick.

Sudden withdrawal?

So far, the source has not been traced. The owner of the source rights denies selling to Chinese investors. It only involves a consortium with foreign contributions – so a merger of several companies led by the previous source rights holder. He declined to give further details.

(oo)