Trinkwasser- und Abwasserzweckverband Oderaue

The Trinkwasser- und Abwasserzweckverband Oderaue (TAZV Oderaue) is a German public-law special-purpose association (Zweckverband) responsible for drinking water supply and wastewater disposal in Eisenhüttenstadt and the surrounding municipalities of the Oderaue region in the state of Brandenburg. According to its official website, the association has served as a reliable service provider for water supply, water treatment and wastewater since 1993, and today supplies nearly 11,000 customers with drinking water of the highest quality. The association's remit covers the full water cycle. On the drinking-water side, it develops and maintains adequate water resources, guarantees high quality standards for the water delivered, and operates a high-performance supply network. On the wastewater side, it collects, conveys and treats wastewater — both domestic sewage and rainwater — as well as the sludge produced in small sewage treatment plants. Its stated mission frames proper and environmentally sound wastewater disposal as an existential foundation for present and future generations. TAZV Oderaue presents itself as a customer-oriented utility that is available at all times — by telephone, email and in person — whether for emergencies, questions or other matters. Its website publishes an overview of its services and prices, and a greeting from the management dated 22 July 2022 welcomes visitors to the association's site in Eisenhüttenstadt. The association's infrastructure has deep historical roots in the region. Its published histories trace drinking water supply back to planning that began in Fürstenberg/Oder in 1925 and the first spade cut for the Fürstenberg waterworks in 1929, while wastewater development also began in 1929 with sewer construction and a mechanical treatment plant. Over the decades the systems were repeatedly expanded and modernised, culminating in a modern full-biological wastewater treatment plant with nutrient elimination that went into operation at the end of 1996. The Zweckverband itself was established in 1993 as the organisational framework for centralised water and wastewater services in the area. As a Zweckverband, TAZV Oderaue is not a private company but a statutory public-law body formed by its member municipalities. It is therefore publicly owned rather than listed on any stock exchange. Its operations are financed through the charges and contributions of its member communities and customers, and it reinvests in its networks and treatment facilities. The association remains active, serving Eisenhüttenstadt and neighbouring communities with essential water and sanitation services.

The history of water services in the Oderaue region predates the Zweckverband by many decades. According to the association's published history of drinking water supply, intensive planning for a central water supply for the town of Fürstenberg/Oder began in 1925, when the town had 7,310 inhabitants and the future supply was to be secured for 10,000 residents. On 15 August 1929 the then mayor, Mr. Pritzsche, cut the first spade for the construction of the Fürstenberg/Oder waterworks; daily demand per inhabitant (including industry) was estimated at 66.6 litres per day. In 1930, to ensure a continuous and stable supply, a water tower was built and handed over for use on 26 November with a capacity of 350 m³; the waterworks and tower together cost 690,000 Reichsmarks. With the beginning of construction of the Eisenhüttenkombinat Ost and the simultaneous founding of the residential town — later Stalinstadt and, from 13 November 1961, Eisenhüttenstadt — the drinking water pipe network had to be continuously expanded from 1950. As consumption rose and the Fürstenberg/Oder waterworks could no longer cover demand, a new waterworks was built on the edge of the municipality of Pohlitz in 1953 with a capacity of about 15,000 m³ per day. Per-capita consumption was 94 litres per inhabitant per day in 1958, 110 in 1960 and 140 by 1965. Continued expansion of the Eisenhüttenkombinat Ost, rising population and the failure of the Fürstenberg/Oder waterworks again strained capacity in 1970. The wastewater side developed in parallel. In August 1929, water and wastewater development was a decisive basis for industrial settlement in Fürstenberg/Oder; the construction firm W. Hagen & Co. of Berlin laid roughly 17.4 km of sewer lines in under two years, and a mechanical treatment plant with screens, grit chamber and two Emscher wells was built. By 1950, growth in Fürstenberg/Oder, Stalinstadt and Schönfließ required further capacity, and a treatment plant with screens, grit chamber and Dortmund wells was built in the Diehloer Berge; from there mechanically treated wastewater flowed through an extensive pipeline system to the fields of the former LPG "Werner Lamberz". In 1967 a new treatment plant with screens, grit chamber and settling tanks was built between Eisenhüttenstadt and Lawitz. Around 1980 the practice shifted: wastewater had initially been irrigated onto fields, but it was then only delivered to the LPG during the growing season and in the absence of precipitation; at other times coarsely treated wastewater had to be discharged to the Oder. In 1990 agricultural wastewater reuse was fully discontinued and about 15,000 m³ of inadequately treated wastewater was discharged daily into the Oder. Under the TAZV's overall wastewater disposal concept, the surrounding municipalities and Eisenhüttenstadt were to discharge centrally into a treatment plant designed for 99,000 population equivalents. The Trinkwasser- und Abwasserzweckverband Oderaue itself was established in 1993, according to its website, as the reliable service provider for water supply, its treatment and wastewater. At the end of 1996, the modern full-biological treatment plant with nutrient elimination went into operation at a cost of 35.8 million Deutsche Mark and with a construction time of only 1.5 years. The association has continued to invest in its water resources, quality assurance and supply network, and today serves nearly 11,000 customers with drinking water while operating environmentally sound wastewater disposal for the region.

• 2022

  A greeting from the management dated 22 July 2022 welcomes visitors to the association's website.

• 1996

  At the end of the year, a modern full-biological treatment plant with nutrient elimination goes into operation, costing 35.8 million DM and built in 1.5 years.

• 1993

  The Trinkwasser- und Abwasserzweckverband Oderaue is established as the regional water and wastewater utility.

• 1990

  Agricultural wastewater reuse is fully discontinued; about 15,000 m³/day of inadequately treated wastewater is discharged into the Oder.

• 1967

  A new treatment plant with screens, grit chamber and settling tanks is built between Eisenhüttenstadt and Lawitz.

• 1953

  A new waterworks with about 15,000 m³/day capacity is built near Pohlitz.

• 1950

  Drinking water network continuously expanded with the construction of the Eisenhüttenkombinat Ost; a new treatment plant with Dortmund wells is built in the Diehloer Berge.

• 1930

  A 350 m³ water tower is completed and handed over on 26 November; waterworks and tower cost 690,000 Reichsmarks.

• 1929

  First spade cut on 15 August for the Fürstenberg/Oder waterworks; sewer construction begins with about 17.4 km of lines and a mechanical treatment plant.

• 1925

  Intensive planning begins for a central drinking water supply for Fürstenberg/Oder, then with 7,310 inhabitants.

A reliable, customer-oriented public-law utility providing high-quality drinking water and environmentally sound wastewater disposal in the Oderaue region.

• Drinking water supply

  Supply of high-quality drinking water to nearly 11,000 customers.

• Wastewater disposal

  Collection, conveyance and treatment of sewage and rainwater, plus sludge from small treatment plants.

• Water treatment

  Treatment of raw water to meet high quality standards.

• Emergency and customer service

  Availability by phone, email and in person for emergencies and inquiries.

1. 1TAZV Oderaue – official websitetazv.de
2. 2Geschichte – TAZV Oderaue (wastewater history)tazv.de
3. 3Geschichte – TAZV Oderaue (drinking water history)tazv.de
4. 4Trinkwasser- und Abwasserzweckverband Oderaue – Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Geschichte – TAZV Oderauetazv.de