Culvert in Schalksmühle: Deposits once again caused by incorrectly disposed hygiene products

It is a problem that other wastewater disposal companies besides the Ruhrverband also have: Many common household items, from moist sanitary wipes and cotton buds to tampons, baby nappies and incontinence products, are disposed of via the toilet instead of the household waste. This "out of sight, out of mind" method causes major problems in the sewerage system, either because deposits repeatedly form at neuralgic points or because the moist household, hygiene and cosmetic tissues become knotted into long, tear-resistant braids. These become wrapped around the impellers of the pumps, resulting in higher energy consumption and faster wear and tear and often paralysing entire pumping stations.

The culvert in the Grabenstraße area is a critical point in Schalksmühle's sewer network: although it was only flushed around two months ago because the deposits had impaired the drainage capacity, the Ruhrverband's southern regional division, which is responsible for the Schalksmühle sewer network, detected another partial blockage in the culvert a few days ago. Fortunately, this could still be removed via the culvert head, because if it had been necessary to flush the culvert, the B54, which serves as a diversion route for the closed Rahmedetal bridge, would have had to be closed on one side again.

Fortunately, the situation here in Germany is still a far cry from the conditions in the London sewer system, which was blocked over a length of 250 metres in autumn 2017 by a 130-tonne blockage consisting mainly of nappies, wet wipes, condoms and cooking fat. Nevertheless, improper disposal also leads to high operational and financial costs for us, which ultimately have to be paid for by the general public with their fees. The Ruhrverband therefore appeals to everyone in the Ruhr catchment area and elsewhere: only human faeces and toilet paper belong in the toilet!