Authorities are attempting to tackle the problem with new biological purification plats, such as the new plant inaugurated in Buschrodt on Friday.
This new biological purification plant replaces the two mechanical plants. According to Roland Schaack, director of the syndicate for waste water in the north (Siden), the difference is that the mechanical plant is only 30% efficient whereas the biological has a performance of up to 95%. The stream now only has to deal with 5% of the residues. Up until recently, Luxembourg was a bad example when it came to the handling of sewage and was penalised for it. In 2013 the European Court of Justice ruled that the Grand-Duchy had to pay two million euro and €2,800 for each day the purification plants were not up to standard
Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the environment, explained that the network of purification plants had to be expanded and that a lot of efforts had been made in previous years. She added that because of the new water law, government aid has been reduced from 65% to 50%.
In the future, municipalities have to finance 50% themselves but according to the minister, this money will get back to them through citizens' water bills.
The national plan: 37 new biological plants like the one in Beschrudt. 60 existing plants are to be expanded, one of the biggest projects is to take place in Bleesbruck in the north. The overburdened plant is to get three times as big, at a cost of 81 million euro.
The competent authorities are already talking about the next step in the modernisation of the purification plants.
Aly Kaes, president of Siden, explains that the goal is to remove residues of pesticides and drugs from the water. However, this is only possible in a fourth cleansing stage. That's why the new and existing plants have to be upgraded.
With a population that is constantly growing, the sewage problem will not simply disappear.
