Above all, they ensure that surface water can drain away without any problems, but they also prevent everything that gets washed down the streets during rain from ending up in the sewer system: the so-called storm drains. Since early May, 14 of them have been repaired or replaced along the Rhine corridor between Obere Austraße (Rheinallee, Schott entrance) and the beginning of Wormser Straße, because they’ve either gotten old or have been damaged—for example, by tree roots. The result: During heavy rain, the water no longer drains away, accumulating on the street or finding other paths.
The company commissioned by Wirtschaftsbetrieb Mainz estimates—depending on the type of damage—that each catch basin will take three to seven days to complete, meaning the entire project will take several months. During this time, traffic must be rerouted around the catch basin where work is currently underway.