Ruhrverband continues operation of the plant sewage treatment plant in Hagen-Kabel since 1 June 2025
On 30 May 2025, the Arnsberg district government withdrew the KPPP's obligation to dispose of municipal wastewater from Hagen-Boele, thereby obliging the Ruhrverband to take on this task as part of hazard prevention. This decision was made in order to prevent impairment of water quality and the resulting negative effects on the public good. According to the district government, the Ruhrverband is best placed to ensure that the plant is operated properly.
The plant wastewater treatment plant to be operated by the Ruhrverband from 1 June 2025 was designed for the combined treatment of industrial paper wastewater and municipal wastewater. As the paper wastewater will no longer be used, the plant will have to be redesigned in terms of process engineering, as a specific stage for nitrogen elimination in particular is still missing.
Technical calculations by Ruhrverband show that a complete conversion of the plant is possible in the medium term. The plan is to treat the municipal wastewater in two so-called combined tanks in the north-western area of the plant site in future. This conversion - a complex intervention during ongoing operations - is expected to take seven to twelve months.
Safeguarding ongoing operations
Until the technical conversion, the Ruhrverband will treat the municipal wastewater in the best possible way using the existing equipment and processes - even if the plant is currently not ideally equipped for this. In order to enable operation in terms of personnel, the Ruhrverband hired nine former specialists from the operating area of the KPPP plant sewage treatment plant on 1 June 2025, who therefore have extensive knowledge of the plant. These employees were previously released from their duties by KPPP.
A stable power supply to the plant site, which currently has to be ensured by the insolvency administration or a possible new owner, is also important for continuous operation.
Positive prospects for water protection
Despite the challenges, the Ruhrverband expects a significant ecological improvement in the water situation in the medium term: the elimination of the paper wastewater will significantly reduce both the pollution loads and the discharge of complexing agents into the water.
Background: Decades of cooperation with KPPP
Since the 1970s, the Ruhrverband has been discharging pre-treated municipal wastewater from its wastewater treatment plant in Hagen-Boele to the former Feldmühle works wastewater treatment plant (later KPPP) for further treatment. This cooperation proved to be both ecologically and economically sensible, as the joint treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater was efficient and cost-effective.
The cooperation was contractually regulated. The Ruhrverband had the right to co-treat its wastewater as well as secured pipeline rights and other easements entered in the land register. KPPP was obliged to co-treat and properly discharge the municipal wastewater under a water permit issued by the Arnsberg district government.
The Ruhrverband deeply regrets the closure of the paper mill and the associated redundancy of around 400 employees.