Gugg emol do: The beginnings

Not that you should get the idea to throw your spare change down the toilet. That would be wasteful². What we mean is a study by a comparison website. According to this study, Mainz is the cheapest place to do your business, whether big or small. A 6-liter flush costs less than two cents here. By comparison, pressing the flush button in Potsdam costs almost twice as much. So, in a way, a quiet little room in Mainz is like a piggy bank. Well then: good business ;-)

Expected: Of course, we were delighted with the results of the study, as it is both praise and confirmation in one. But it didn't really surprise us. For years, Mainz's drainage fees have been among the highest in Germany. We are consistently at the top of the table for both sewage and rainwater. At the same time, we continue to invest heavily in our facilities every year. The rainwater retention basin in Ebersheim (opens in a new tab) is a good example of this.

Provided that the parents of the two children dispose of their waste properly in the toilet, the term "energy source" really does apply. The sewage sludge produced during wastewater treatment is transported to our digestion towers, where it is broken down with the help of bacteria. This process produces gas, i.e. energy. Special generators are used to convert this into electricity and heat.

Electricity and heat: two important energy components that we naturally use as well. This covers 40 percent of our electricity consumption. And when it comes to heating, we are already completely independent. This protects the environment and saves money. For us and ultimately for you too.

Find out more about "energy from wastewater" here!!! (opens in a new tab)

What do our two friendly 'dirty birds' actually have to do with pre-washing? The truck on which you saw the little picture puzzle is the answer to this question. Because it cleans with dirt. The vehicle is used for sewer cleaning and uses wastewater for this purpose. This is first treated appropriately inside the truck. Then the sewers are hosed down with it. Pre-wash and main wash, so to speak. But that's not all: afterwards, our truck sucks up the dirty water again, cleans it once more, and starts the next rinse cycle. Great, isn't it?!

Wastewater treatment: a special kind of recycling or active environmental protection? Take your pick—both are correct. In any case, we save more than 5 million liters of fresh water per year. That's around 37,000 bathtubs filled to the brim.

Sure, cotton swabs can be annoying. If they go too deep into the ear, for example. Or if ten of them come out of the dispenser at once. But they become a real problem in the sewer system or sewage treatment plant. When it encounters other water-insoluble substances such as hair, wet wipes, tampons, oils, or fats, it often turns into a meter-long, sticky, slimy monster. And that can paralyze pumps or clog pipes. Unnecessary, but above all expensive. Ultimately, this also affects you as a taxpayer.

You are in demand: Even more trouble and costs than cotton swabs and the like are caused by the smallest troublemakers. Microplastics and drug residues may not paralyze technology, but they are more difficult to fish out of wastewater—if at all. So, in addition to the financial costs, there are also environmental damage and health risks. But—and this is the good news—you can do something about it yourself. By paying attention to what you use and dispose of in the sink, shower, or toilet. You can find tips on how to do this here. Or you can ask our specialists.

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