Leipziger Wasserwerke

Leipziger Wasserwerke (officially Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH) is the municipal water utility for the city of Leipzig and parts of the surrounding region in Saxony, Germany. It provides drinking water supply, wastewater disposal, and stormwater management services. The company is part of the Leipziger Gruppe, a municipal holding that also includes Leipziger Stadtwerke (energy), Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (public transport), and Sportbäder Leipzig (swimming pools). Since 2016, the group's companies have operated under the shared brand "Leipziger." The utility's origins date back to the mid-19th century, when industrialization forced Leipzig to build its first modern waterworks. Over the following decades, a network of groundwater works—including Naunhof, Canitz, and Thallwitz—was developed to supply the growing city. In the GDR era, water services were organized under the VEB Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig. After German reunification, the utility was reorganized as a municipal company, and in 1994 it was renamed Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH. Since 1997, it has been part of the Leipziger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft holding. Today, Leipziger Wasserwerke operates five waterworks (Naunhof 1 and 2, Canitz, Thallwitz, and Belgershain) and the Probstheida water treatment facility. It serves roughly 694,000 residents in the Leipzig area (as of 2018) and maintains a extensive pipe network. The company is owned by the City of Leipzig (74.65%) and the Zweckverband für Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbeseitigung Leipzig-Land (25.35%). Its services include drinking water hardness information, construction and disruption updates, public drinking fountains, wastewater disposal, stormwater management, and customer services such as meter reading and billing. The utility also offers services for installers, such as a standpipe service and a certified maintenance service for small sewage treatment plants.

The history of Leipzig's water supply begins in the Middle Ages, when water was drawn from the Pleißemühlgraben and pumped by water-powered wooden pumps into city fountains. By 1866, industrialization had increased demand so much that the city built its first modern groundwater works, the Wasserwerk Connewitz, designed by English engineers. It drew water from a seepage gallery in the Pleiße floodplain and fed a pressurized water supply system, with a 4,000-cubic-meter reservoir in Probstheida. After 1887, as the city moved to overland supply, Connewitz was gradually decommissioned. In 1877, the city commissioned water engineer Adolf Thiem to find adequate groundwater. After initial surveys in the city area proved insufficient, geologist Hermann Credner pointed him to Naunhof, where a glacial Mulde bed held large groundwater reserves. Following successful test drilling, the Wasserwerk Naunhof 1 was built from 1882 to 1887 according to Thiem's plans. With its 15-kilometer pipeline to Leipzig, it was then considered the largest and most modern waterworks in Europe, delivering 30,000 cubic meters per day. To meet further demand, Wasserwerk Naunhof 2 followed in 1896 west of Naunhof with the same capacity. In 1907, the city council acquired land in the Muldenaue between Nischwitz and Wasewitz (now part of Thallwitz) for 5 million marks. There, the Wasserwerk Canitz, also planned by Thiem, began operation in 1912 and remains the largest of Leipzig's waterworks, transporting water over a 25-kilometer pipeline. The last major waterworks, Thallwitz, went online in 1943. In 1964, the VEB Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig (VEB WAB Leipzig) was founded, taking over water supply for Leipzig, the Leipzig district, and the counties of Delitzsch, Eilenburg, Wurzen, Torgau, Geithain, Grimma, Döbeln, Oschatz, Altenburg, Schmölln, and Borna. After the political turnaround, VEB WAB Leipzig was converted into a capital company, Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig GmbH, founded in 1990. On 1 March 1991, Städtische Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH was established. In December of that year, 49 cities and municipalities of the Leipzig-Land district formed the Zweckverband für Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbeseitigung Leipzig-Land (ZV WALL), transferring all rights and duties for water supply and wastewater disposal to the association. As part of the real division of Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig GmbH, fixed assets and investments were transferred to Städtische Wasserwerke Leipzig on 1 January 1994. By resolution of the Leipzig city council on 15 September 1993, the company was renamed Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH on 14 October 1994. At the same time, the Zweckverband concluded an operating contract with Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig for water supply, wastewater disposal, and the maintenance, renewal, and expansion of the association's public facilities. In 1994, Wassergut Canitz GmbH was founded as a subsidiary for ecological management of agricultural land in the drinking water catchment area. Further subsidiaries followed: Sachsen Wasser GmbH and Bau und Service Leipzig GmbH in 2000, and Sportbäder Leipzig GmbH and Wasseraufbereitung Knautnaundorf GmbH in 2004. Sachsen Wasser GmbH and Wasseraufbereitung Knautnaundorf GmbH left the portfolio on 1 January 2015. In 2008, the Kommunalen Wasserwerke took over supply for the municipality of Wiedemar, and in 2010 wastewater disposal for the municipalities of Machern and Jesewitz. Since 1997, the company has been part of the Leipziger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH holding. Since 11 January 2016, the companies of the Leipziger Gruppe—Leipziger Stadtwerke, Verkehrsbetriebe, Wasserwerke, and Sportbäder—have operated under the shared brand "Leipziger," and KWL presents itself externally as Leipziger Wasserwerke.

• 2016

  On 11 January, the companies of the Leipziger Gruppe begin operating under the shared brand "Leipziger"; KWL presents itself as Leipziger Wasserwerke.

• 2015

  Sachsen Wasser GmbH and Wasseraufbereitung Knautnaundorf GmbH leave the company's portfolio on 1 January.

• 2010

  Wastewater disposal for the municipalities of Machern and Jesewitz taken over.

• 2008

  Kommunale Wasserwerke take over water supply for the municipality of Wiedemar.

• 2004

  Subsidiaries Sportbäder Leipzig GmbH and Wasseraufbereitung Knautnaundorf GmbH founded.

• 2000

  Subsidiaries Sachsen Wasser GmbH and Bau und Service Leipzig GmbH founded.

• 1997

  Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig becomes part of the Leipziger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH holding.

• 1994

  On 14 October, company renamed Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH; operating contract signed with ZV WALL; Wassergut Canitz GmbH founded as subsidiary.

• 1991

  Städtische Wasserwerke Leipzig GmbH founded on 1 March; in December, 49 municipalities form the Zweckverband für Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbeseitigung Leipzig-Land (ZV WALL).

• 1990

  VEB WAB Leipzig converted into Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig GmbH.

• 1964

  Founding of VEB Wasserversorgung und Abwasserbehandlung Leipzig (VEB WAB Leipzig).

• 1943

  Wasserwerk Thallwitz, the last major waterworks, goes online.

• 1912

  Wasserwerk Canitz, planned by Adolf Thiem, begins operation; it remains the largest of Leipzig's waterworks.

• 1907

  City of Leipzig acquires land in the Muldenaue between Nischwitz and Wasewitz for 5 million marks.

• 1896

  Wasserwerk Naunhof 2 begins operation west of Naunhof with a capacity of 30,000 m³/day.

• 1887

  Wasserwerk Naunhof 1 goes into operation with a 15 km pipeline to Leipzig, considered Europe's largest and most modern waterworks at the time.

• 1882

  Start of construction of Wasserwerk Naunhof 1 according to plans by Adolf Thiem.

• 1866

  Construction of Wasserwerk Connewitz, Leipzig's first modern groundwater works, by English engineers.

Municipal water utility ensuring reliable, sustainable drinking water and wastewater services for Leipzig and the region.

• Drinking water supply

  Supply of drinking water to Leipzig and the region, including information on water hardness and public drinking fountains.

• Wastewater disposal

  Environmentally sound wastewater disposal and treatment, including decentralized disposal and maintenance of small sewage treatment plants.

• Stormwater management

  Management of rainwater, including advice on stormwater use and protection against heavy rain.

• Drinking water analyses

  Analysis service for drinking water quality.

• Standpipe service

  Temporary water supply service for construction sites and events.

1. 1Leipziger Wasserwerke | Die Vielfalt des Trink- und Abwassers in Leipzigl.de
2. 2Karriere bei der Leipziger Gruppe: Dein Einstieg im #TeamLeipzigerl.de
3. 3Services der Leipziger Wasserwerkel.de
4. 4Über uns | Leipziger Stadtwerkel.de
5. 5Wasserwerke Leipzigwikidata.org
6. 6Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzigde.wikipedia.org