Sewage network

Every day, millions of litres of water flow through the households of Braunschweig and the surrounding areas. We clean, shower, cook and rinse. The water flows away into the sewage network just as naturally as it comes out of the tap.

The Braunschweig sewage network, operationally managed by the Stadtentwässerung Braunschweig (Braunschweig waste water services), consists of underground channels for wastewater, rain water and mixed water and is more than 1,300 kilometres long. In addition, there are numerous special constructions such as rain water overflows, storm water basins and culvert systems, with whose help obstacles can be avoided. In the city centre, waste water and precipitation water flow into a shared mixed-water channel.

Most of the outer parts of the city have a system with separate channels. Here, wastewater and precipitation water are fed into separate channels. The wastewater takes the direct route to the treatment plant Steinhof. The precipitation water is collected in rain water retention basins or fed directly into surface waters. Precipitation which falls on public streets flows into the sewage network via the gullies which we are all so familiar with. In Braunschweig there are around 25,000 of these.

The Abwasserverband Braunschweig is a service provider for the Gifhorn water board and operates around 200 kilometres of waste water and mixed-water sewage systems in districts to the north of Braunschweig (joint communities Papenteich and Meinersen and the combined community Wendeburg).

The aims of the sewage network are:

  • to direct as much domestic and industrial wastewater as possible to the treatment plant, thereby avoiding the spread of pathogens through contact with wastewater
  • to direct the rain water in the public sewage system either directly into the surface waters (separated sewerage system) or together with the wastewater (combined sewerage system)
  • to prevent flooding in public areas, even in the event of heavy precipitation

With the help of 78 pumping stations and a transport pipe system of more than 106 kilometres in length, the waste water is directed to the treatment plant Steinhof.

Inside view of a pumping station

The complete wastewater transport system can be found here Sewage network diagram (PDF)

The following local authorities are wastewater suppliers for the Abwasserverband

City of Braunschweig

Joint community Papenteich
Community Meine with the districts of Meine, Grassel, Abbesbüttel, Bechtsbüttel, Wedelheine, Wedesbüttel, Ohnhorst, Gravenhorst
Community Rötgesbüttel with the district of Rötgesbüttel
Community Adenbüttel with the districts of Adenbüttel, Rolfsbüttel
Community Vordorf with the districts of Vordorf, Rethen, Eickhorst
Community Schwülper with the districts of Groß Schwülper, Rothemühle, Walle, Lagesbüttel, Hülperode
Community Didderse

Combined community Wendeburg
Districts: Wendeburg, Bortfeld, Harvesse, Neubrück, Rüper, Meerdorf

Joint community Meinersen
Community Hillerse, district of Hillerse

Service provider for the Gifhorn water board

As a service provider for the Gifhorn water board, the Abwasserverband Braunschweig is responsible for the correct disposal of the waste water and mixed water produced by the aforementioned districts. For improved orientation, a number of helpful information sources are listed here:

Wastewater statute for the Gifhorn water board
www.wasserverband-gifhorn.de

Correct safeguarding against blockages in the sewage network
www.wasserverband-gifhorn.de

What happens during high-pressure sewer cleaning?
www.wasserverband-gifhorn.de