Dusseldorf (dpa / lnw) – The easing of the control obligations for private sewage pipes has brought financial advantages, but also risks. The North Rhine-Westphalian state government pointed this out in a response to a request from the FDP parliamentary group published on Tuesday.
As a result of the regular leak tests for all sewers, which were abolished two years ago, homeowners generally saved between 300 and 800 euros per property and no test, explained Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens). However, in the case of many house and property connection lines, a possible need for renovation is no longer determined, since checks only have to be carried out in defined individual cases.
“As a result, the costs for the rehabilitation of the private house and property connection lines that are actually required are often eliminated,” Krischer stated. However, continued undetected deterioration could lead to higher sanitation costs in the long term, the minister warned.
Two years ago, the state parliament changed the “Self-Monitoring Ordinance Waste Water”. Since then, house owners only have to have their sewers checked for leaks in new projects in water protection areas, in the case of significant changes and in justified cases of suspicion. However, industrial or commercial wastewater systems still have to be checked regularly and leaking sewers repaired.
Recently, only very few existing systems have been checked for leaks, Krischer said. There is no information about the impact on groundwater. “However, a statistically significant change in groundwater quality would hardly be expected due to the short period of time that has elapsed.” In addition, it is not possible to distinguish between contamination from leaking private sewage pipes and from the public sewage system.