Wastewater - wastewater and rainwater
Wastewater is water from households, agriculture, trade and industry (wastewater) that has been altered by use, as well as rainwater that flows off built or paved surfaces.
This also includes sludge from households that accumulates in small wastewater treatment plants and all other water that flows into wastewater facilities.
Wastewater from households
In Jena, wastewater disposal is the responsibility of the JenaWasser association. The association operates the central sewage treatment plants in the districts of Zwätzen and Maua in Jena.
For locations that are not or not yet connected to a public wastewater system, the wastewater disposal obligation can be transferred to third parties.
Both the discharge into a surface water body and the infiltration constitute a use of water and require a permit under water law from the lower water authority. Further information on the required documents can be found on the city's service portal: Domestic wastewater - discharge and infiltration.
Commercial / industrial wastewater
The composition of wastewater from commercial and industrial operations differs significantly from domestic wastewater. The substances contained can, for example, damage the microbiology in sewage treatment plants or the organisms in surface waters.
The discharge of commercial and industrial wastewater into a body of water (direct discharge) or into a public wastewater treatment plant (indirect discharge) from areas of origin of the Wastewater Ordinance (AbwV) is therefore subject to special requirements and requires a water law permit or approval from the lower water authority. In certain cases, notification is sufficient.
Further information on the areas of origin and the application procedure can be found on the city's service portal: Commercial / industrial wastewater - discharge.
Rainwater
Precipitation water that is not contaminated with harmful substances should be infiltrated as locally as possible, e.g. via:
- troughs
- pipes or trenches
- a combination of swales and trenches
- soakaways
Infiltration benefits groundwater recharge. For some of the types of infiltration mentioned, a permit under water law must be applied for from the lower water authority.
If infiltration is not an option due to geological conditions or lack of space, the water should preferably be collected separately from wastewater and discharged into a surface water body if the hydraulic conditions permit.
Rainwater from commercially used areas may only be discharged with the permission of the water authority. For details, please refer to the city's service portal: Rainwater - discharge and infiltration.
Green roofs, retention cisterns and open water areas also make an important contribution to the retention of rainwater on the property.
Mixing wastewater with rainwater that is not contaminated with harmful substances should be avoided, especially in new construction projects.