Ambassadors Inspect Surface Water Treatment Plant

“Berlin has outstanding solutions to the big challenges of urbanisation and sets the standard in terms of best practices, which cities around the world are implementing“, said Dirk Hoffmann, the CFO of Messe Berlin. The German capital not only had an innovative water supplier in the shape of Berliner Wasserbetriebe. It also had Wasser Berlin International, a bi-annual international trade fair and congress for the water industry, he added. The ambassadors were also welcomed by Jörg Simon, the chairman of the board of Berliner Wasserbetriebe, and Dr. Fritz Holzwarth, the managing director of Verein Wasser Berlin.

Following a brief introductory speech from Kai Joswig, the team leader of ’Strategies and concepts for wastewater disposal with a focus on rainwater management’ at Berliner Wasserbetriebe, the international visitors inspected the surface water treatment plant in Tegel, an example of measures undertaken to protect the water supply cycle. In four stages up to 99 per cent of phosphorous compounds and suspended matter are removed from the inflow to Tegeler See that comes from Nordgraben and Tegeler Fliess. Afterwards at dinner – naturally with fish on the menu – the diplomats had an opportunity to talk in detail with specialists about Berlin’s expertise regarding the entire water supply cycle. “The keen interest expressed by the ambassadors was proof once again that water security and waste water are global challenges. All over the world the relevant technology and know-how are issues of utmost importance“, said project manager Cornelia Wolff von der Sahl.