Ruhrverband’s summer cycle tour: Second stage highlighted the challenges of climate change for water management

The second stage of the Ruhrverband’s summer cycle tour focused on how climate change is affecting water management and what solutions are needed to ensure water supply and wastewater treatment in the future. The tour, which covered around 37 kilometres, ran from the Arnsberg-Wildshausen sewage treatment works via the Arnsberg-Neheim sewage treatment works and the Bachum gauging station to the Wickede-Echthausen waterworks operated by Wasserwerke Westfalen.

The main focus was on the consequences of climate change, which is leading to increasingly severe weather extremes. Longer periods of drought, higher temperatures, more frequent heavy rainfall events and more severe storms pose major challenges for the entire water sector – from raw water supply through drinking water treatment to wastewater treatment.

At each stop along the tour, Ruhrverband staff explained how these developments are already affecting their work today and what measures are being taken to address them. The tour was led by Christoph Donner, Chief Executive and Chief Technical Officer of the Ruhrverband, alongside other experts from various specialist departments.

The tour began at the Arnsberg-Wildshausen sewage treatment works. Here, modern wastewater treatment processes were demonstrated. The cycle tour then continued to the Arnsberg-Neheim sewage treatment works and on to the Bachum gauging station.
There, the focus was on the current challenges facing the water sector and their strategic context. The tour concluded with a visit to the Wickede-Echthausen waterworks, where Wasserwerke Westfalen provided insights into drinking water treatment.

Alongside representatives of the Ruhrverband, the second stage was also attended by guests from the worlds of politics, public administration, water management and tourism. These included Heinrich Böckelühr (Arnsberg District Government), Bernd Heinz (AWWR and Wasserwerke Westfalen GmbH), Maria Geißler (R.D.M. Arnsberg GmbH), Christoph Weber (Mayor of Meschede), Klaus-Peter Teipel (Möhnesee Local Authority), Dr Jürgen Fischbach (Sauerland Tourism) and Holger Wagner (Perstorp Chemicals).

Through the summer cycle tour, the Ruhrverband brought key future challenges facing the water sector to life. The combination of site visits, expert information and on-site discussions highlighted just how closely climate adaptation, water protection and reliable water supply and wastewater disposal are interlinked, and underlined the importance of an efficient water management system for the region.