▁East ▁Berlin ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁twenty fold ▁increase ▁over ▁the ▁same ▁period , ▁up ▁to ▁ 8 . 3 0 ▁Mark s ▁per ▁cub ic ▁meter . ▁▁ ▁Although ▁comment ators ▁acknowled ged ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁modern ise , ▁it ▁was ▁striking ▁that ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁additional ▁re venue ▁flow ing ▁into ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Water ▁Company ▁was ▁" inv ested " ▁in ▁a ▁sp ending ▁sp ree ▁that ▁involved ▁the ▁purchase ▁loss - making ▁water ▁companies ▁in ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁Germany . ▁▁ ▁As ▁Klaus ▁W ow ere it , ▁a ▁critical ▁observer ▁and ▁an ▁SP D ▁politician ▁( who ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁G over ning ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Berlin ), ▁saw ▁the ▁matter : ▁" It ▁makes ▁no ▁sense ▁to ▁purchase ▁a ▁mixed - good ▁em por ium ▁from ▁fir ms ▁that ▁no ▁one ▁else ▁wants ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Ber tr am ▁Wie cz ore k ▁left ▁the ▁water ▁company ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁his ▁earlier ▁voc ation , ▁establish ing ▁himself ▁in ▁R ode w isch ▁as ▁a ▁self - emp loy ed ▁phys ician . ▁ ▁Personal ▁ ▁Ber tr am ▁Wie cz ore k ▁is ▁married ▁and ▁has ▁two ▁children . ▁▁ ▁Although ▁one ▁source ▁states ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁born ▁into ▁a ▁Catholic ▁family , ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁source ▁describes ▁him ▁as ▁" kon f essions los ", ▁imp lying ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁subsequently ▁opt ed ▁out ▁of ▁church ▁membership ▁and ▁the ▁supp lement ary ▁tax ▁oblig ations ▁that ▁in ▁Germany ▁accomp any ▁it .