German sewage treatment plants host public open house events

Sewage treatment plants in Germany recently hosted open house events to educate the public on wastewater processing.

The Kühnhausen plant celebrated its 50th anniversary, offering tours that demonstrated sewer cleaning, channel inspections via camera, and wastewater treatment processes. Officials noted that the facility, originally rebuilt between 1971 and 1976, is currently undergoing extensive modernization of its clarification tanks and pumps, a project expected to continue until 2036. Maintenance costs for such infrastructure can reach double-digit millions annually, and staff highlighted that wet wipes remain a significant issue as they do not dissolve and can clog machinery.

In Merzig, the Entsorgungsverband Saar (EVS) also held an open day to demonstrate how drinking water is transformed back into clean water. The facility processes at least 13,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, with volumes exceeding 40,000 cubic meters during rainfall. The plant serves a 90-kilometer network of channels from Merzig and surrounding villages.