Protection of water bodies in Konz-Oberemmel
Verbandsgemeindewerke modernize the sewer system
After heavy rain events, it is a common sight in many places in Germany: garbage from the sewer system lies around on the banks of streams. Cloths, hygiene articles or the like were flushed out of the pipes by the water masses in an uncontrolled manner and thus ended up in the water.
In order to prevent this, the municipal utilities are currently modernizing the sewer system in Konz-Oberemmel. Among other things, several seepage basins were and are being built. These are hardly visible because they are overgrown by grass. But when it rains heavily, they retain excess water from the canals.
It works as follows: the rainwater first flows through the normal sewer network, but is then collected in a kind of underground concrete structure. There it flows through a so-called rake, which sifts waste out of the water before it flows on into a seepage basin. With smaller amounts of rain, the water can seep away there, with larger amounts it flows further into a next basin and finally into the stream. This technology reduces the risk of flooding in the water body, because only a certain amount of sewer water gets into the creek at any one time. The basins therefore regulate the water inflow, which also means that the flora and fauna along the stream are better protected. In addition, the sewage system itself and thus the sewage treatment plant are relieved.
Construction work has already been completed on the first plot. A second plot of land is currently being built on the opposite side. To this end, huge prefabricated parts were delivered with heavy-duty transports in December. These now have to be connected to the sewage system with pipes.