The Ministry of the Environment presents the first results of measurements in the Ahr valley and the West Eifel.
Destroyed sewers and sewage works are the greatest concern.
Mainz - The flood disaster in July polluted water, soil and air in the Ahr Valley with additional pollutants.
However, after initial measurements, the Ministry of the Environment does not expect a long-term risk.
The values are not worrying, said Environment Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) on Monday in Mainz.
The minister named destroyed canals and the only partially functional sewage treatment plants as the main source of pollutants.
The more than 10,000 collected and analyzed data sets showed that the pollution in the lower reaches of the Ahr is higher than in the upper reaches.
The rebuilding of the wastewater infrastructure is of decisive importance - "here everyone involved is working flat out on the restoration".
Even if you can now cross the Ahr on foot again, contact with the water should be avoided, said Spiegel.
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After initial studies of the fish fauna, the ministry estimates that half of the stock in the Ahr is still preserved. The ecological investigations showed that the larvae of mayflies and caddis flies have decreased significantly, especially in the lower reaches of the Ahr - there the flood wave “swept everything with it like a sandblast”, said Spiegel. Catherine Antoni from the Department of Water Protection in the Ministry was confident that the larval populations, which are important as fish food, will recover next spring.
Investigations of the soils showed that "extensive impairment through flood-related pollutant inputs in the West Eifel and in the Ahr valley can be excluded".
However, the pollution detected, for example with traces of arsenic and lead, was believed to have arisen before the flood.
In a few places, necessary measures such as soil replacement have been initiated.
Slightly increased heavy metal values were found when measuring dust in the air, for example at the Ahrtor in Ahrweiler.
Overall, however, there is “no cause for concern that there may be health problems,” said Spiegel.
dpa
