Big hole on Reichenbacher Straße: What's behind it?

Big hole on Reichenbacher Straße: What's behind it?

In Cologne, Reichenbacher Straße is once again on everyone's lips. After lengthy construction work to expand the Flurstrasse intersection, drivers were once again in trouble: There was a large hole in the freshly asphalted double lane heading into town, directly in front of house number 111. As radiozwickau.de reported, this was an unpleasant surprise caused by damage to the water pipes. A meter change revealed defective shut-off devices that needed to be repaired as quickly as possible.

After six months of heated discussions and construction work, the damage has now been repaired. But what are the causes of such hole-in-the-wall dramas, some of which appear on the streets unannounced? The water supply of every building depends on a reliable domestic water connection. In particular, pipes and cables can wear out over time, which not only affects the water quality but could also cause leaks. These problems require quick action and those responsible often have to react quickly.

Quick solutions to a big problem

For homeowners, there are some warning signs that indicate it's time to replace your home's plumbing:

• Rostige oder undichte Leitungen
• Druckabfall im Wassersystem
• Verfärbungen im Wasser
• Undichte Stellen oder Feuchtigkeit in der Nähe der Wasserleitungen

The costs for such a renovation vary depending on the extent of the work and can range between 2,500 and 6,000 euros. The regional price differences should not be underestimated either, according to derbauherr.de.

Legal requirements and modernizations

A small ray of hope for owners of older houses: funding programs to replace outdated water pipes are on the rise in many cities. Replacing old lead pipes is particularly important for health reasons. According to legal regulations, such as the new requirements based on the Drinking Water Ordinance of 2023, only certified specialist companies are authorized to carry out work on the domestic water connection. Above all, emphasis is placed on modern, corrosion-resistant materials.

A topic that is increasingly coming into focus is energy efficiency in drinking water installations. Certain techniques, such as ultrafiltration, could help maintain health within one's own four walls while at the same time reducing energy costs - a goal that is being promoted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the research project "Ultrafiltration as an element of energy efficiency in drinking water hygiene", as dvgw.de notes. The results of this project are expected in 2024 and could set new standards.

Now that the damage on Reichenbacher Strasse has been repaired, road work should continue quickly so that traffic can flow normally again at the beginning of next week. It will be interesting to see how the roads and cables in Cologne will develop in the future - after all, the supply infrastructure is the backbone of every lively city.