Press releases

• A new joint information campaign by StädteRegion Aachen, Wasserverband Eifel-Rur (WVER) and the City of Aachen on flooding and heavy rainfall will be launched at the Euregio-Wirtschaftsschau.
• The campaign "Knowledge about water. Prepared for floods and heavy rainfall" campaign aims to highlight the dangers in our region and prepare citizens for risks in the best possible way.
• A mobile information stand, an informative website and a comprehensive brochure provide many important suggestions, specific recommendations and detailed knowledge.

Water is the basis of life. We use it every day as food, in the household, in agriculture and in industry. But water can also become a challenge, a danger: Out of the blue and with great force, heavy rain and flooding can occur more frequently and more intensively in our region too. Due to climate change, the number of extreme weather events is increasing and entire streets can be flooded within a short space of time - sometimes causing considerable damage to houses, cellars and property. So-called "floods of the century" are no longer an exception. "We all still have painful memories of the floods and even five years on, we have to be honest and say that there is no such thing as 100% protection against floods and heavy rainfall. But we can and must do everything we can to be as prepared as possible," says Aachen's Lord Mayor Dr. Michael Ziemons, recalling the tragic events of 2021. City Councillor Dr. Tim Grüttemeier also remembers the dramatic days: "Water has an irrepressible destructive power, which Eschweiler, Stolberg, Roetgen and Kornelimünster in particular experienced. This makes the joint 'Knowledge about water' campaign all the more important. We want to show how the region can be even better prepared for floods and heavy rainfall." In other words: StädteRegion Aachen, the City of Aachen and Wasserverband Eifel-Rur (WVER) are launching a joint education and information campaign: "With 'Wissen über Wasser.', we are jointly providing information about risks, highlighting specific protection options and pooling helpful contacts and ongoing projects - from retention basins to further precautionary measures," says Ziemons, summarizing the core ideas. Inform. Prevent. Protect.

"Knowledge about water." starts at the Euregio Economic Show

Grüttemeier is delighted that "Wissen über Wasser." has now been launched: "It is important to give people recommendations for action. After all, property owners can significantly reduce the risk of damage by taking targeted measures. We want to do this in a targeted manner on site, such as at the start of the campaign at the StädteRegion stand at the Euregio-Wirtschaftsschau." One of the centerpieces is the "Knowledge about water" information stand. This is where people in the StädteRegion can obtain information and pick up initial ideas and recommendations. After the Euregio, this stand will "wander" through the region and sensitize people to the issues of heavy rainfall and flooding in the foyers of public buildings or at trade fairs and events.

Informative website

The second core element is the website www.wissen-über-wasser.de, where property owners or builders can find out specifically whether their house is located in a risk area, what they can do to take precautions themselves or what they should do in an emergency. Informative flood maps, specific contacts, helpful links or an overview of joint solutions and projects for better flood and heavy rain resilience - all this and more can be found on the website. And for those who prefer to have this information ready to hand on the shelf at home, the information has been summarized in a comprehensive brochure.

Heavy rain as a cause of flooding can affect almost everyone

The campaign is intended to appeal to people who were affected by the floods five years ago, but also to those who have perhaps only recently started living or building in one of the areas. And heavy rainfall does not even require a nearby stream or river to cause flooding: Rainfall of more than 25 millimetres per hour or more than 35 millimetres in six hours is enough. They often occur when massive thunderclouds rain down. If the water does not seep into the ground quickly enough or is not drained away via a sewer system, flash flooding can occur during a heavy rainfall event. Backwater can also occur in the sewer system on flat roads. Parts of the rain masses then find their way above ground, usually uncontrolled, across streets and properties, causing local flooding or overflowing cellars. Heavy rain can also cause landslides on small slopes. So it can affect almost anyone, anywhere.

Raising awareness at school

The early bird gets the worm: Another component of the campaign - which is currently still being developed - is teaching materials tailored to the individual school levels. The aim is to raise awareness of this important topic among children and young people from elementary school right up to middle school and perhaps even turn them into multipliers. Teaching staff can find "sample curricula" for a complete project week, including lists of materials and media, at www.wissen-über-wasser.de. In cooperation with the education office of the StädteRegion, excursions will also be offered in the future as part of the "Bildungszugabe" to relevant extracurricular learning locations of the WVER, such as sewage treatment plants or dams.