Municipal water utility in Pforzheim seeks to withdraw additional water from local resources.
Pforzheim's Utility Company, Stadtwerke, outlines plans to reduce reliance on Lake Constance for regional water supply, aiming to increase self-supplied water by 70% within the next five years.
Currently, the city's water supply remains stable, with sources across the Großtal, wells in the Enzauen and Nagoldtal, and Lake Constance. The quality of Lake Constance water is ensured by a modern ultrafiltration plant at the SWP-owned Friedrichsberg waterworks. This diverse supply source and optimal treatment make Pforzheim's water supply particularly resilient to crises, according to Stadtwerke.
Ulrich Waibel, responsible for water strategy, explains that this strategy has multiple benefits. "Not only does it make us less dependent on external suppliers, but it also improves our pricing and serves our customers better," he says.
Wolfgang Rößler, head of networks and generation at SWP, confirms the effectiveness of long-term water management planning, citing the success of this strategy over the years. Moreover, SWP's expertise in drinking water supply is increasingly sought after by neighboring communities. Rößler highlights the desire to continue this successful trajectory, particularly with regard to the planned "Enzwerk," a collaboration model for energy and public utilities in the region.
In terms of climate adaptation, Pforzheim is actively engaged in sustainability efforts. This commitment extends to projects that deploy networks of low-cost sensors for climate-relevant data collection, reflecting a broader focus on resource management and urban planning. While these projects are not exclusively water management-focused, they underscore Stadtwerke Pforzheim's growing emphasis on maximizing local water resources and integrating advanced data monitoring to optimize usage and support these goals.
Despite the ongoing research and planning, a detailed, publicly available long-term water management strategy for Stadtwerke Pforzheim is not currently available in the sources. However, the city's commitment to sustainability initiatives and smart city projects suggests that their water management strategy is evolving towards increased self-sufficiency and improved water efficiency.
- Ulrich Waibel, in charge of water strategy, asserts that the strategy to boost self-supplied water by 70% within five years, which includes an emphasis on environmental-science and technology, not only reduces dependence on external suppliers but also aids in pricing and customer service.
- The growing emphasis on maximizing local water resources and integrating advanced data monitoring in Stadtwerke Pforzheim's sustainability efforts, such as the use of low-cost sensors for climate-relevant data collection, indicates that their water management strategy is evolving to incorporate advancements in both science and technology.
