The Ruhrverband - an operational water management company
The Ruhrverband is a non-profit water management company under public law. Both in the operation of its reservoirs, which ensure the water supply for 4.6 million people, and in wastewater treatment for 60 towns and municipalities in the Ruhr and Lenne catchment areas, people and the environment are at the centre of its activities, without neglecting the need for economic efficiency.
The Ruhr and its tributaries are considered and managed as a single entity, independent of political administrative units. This river basin management creates a fair balance between the various uses and interests of the rivers and lakes. This saves costs and, as required by the European Water Framework Directive, serves environmental protection and the common good.
The Ruhrverband performs the following tasks in the 4,478 square kilometre Ruhr river basin:
Water supply
Procuring and supplying water for drinking and industrial water supply as well as for hydropower utilisation.
The water runoff is regulated, equalised and the flood discharge is secured.
Wastewater is purified and the resulting residues are disposed of or utilised.
The water management conditions are determined.
Purchasing
The Ruhrverband is responsible for water quantity and water quality management in the Ruhr catchment area. To this end, materials and services are procured efficiently and in line with demand. In recent years, the purchasing process has been converted from a decentralised structure to centralised, electronic procurement.