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Huge pipe burst in Eimsbüttel: water is coming – but only for a short time!
In Eimsbüttel there were several burst water pipes, which temporarily affected the supply. Repair work is in progress.
Huge pipe burst in Eimsbüttel: water is coming – but only for a short time!
On Tuesday around 5 p.m., something happened Hellkamp In Eimsbüttel a significant pipe burst, which left several households without water. House numbers 1 to 13 in Hellkamp as well as 1 to 6 on Rombergstrasse and 46 on Sillemstrasse were affected. Hamburg Wasser quickly provided a water truck to maintain the drinking water supply. The water supply was restored in the evening.
The wayward pipe dates back to 1911 and was originally scheduled to be replaced on Wednesday, the day after the incident. However, due to the urgency of the incident, the plans were brought forward and the replacement work started promptly. According to press spokeswoman Natalia Möbius, such pipe bursts are not uncommon in Hamburg's drinking water network, which is around 5,300 kilometers long. Possible causes can be age-related corrosion, construction work or vibrations from road traffic as well as winter weather conditions. In the case of the pipe burst in Hellkamp, however, the exact cause is unclear.
Previous incidents and major damage
Numerous road sections, including Heußweg and Quickbornstrasse, were closed as a result. The repair work finally began on Monday, and the duration of the work remained uncertain. These incidents shed light on the challenges facing water utilities.
The major challenges for water suppliers
Maintaining water pipes is becoming increasingly challenging. In Hamburg The pipes are often over 100 years old, and the infrastructure alone includes countless components that can potentially leak. Despite increasing investments in water and wastewater infrastructure every year, identifying leaks is a major task. This leads to water losses and can cause consequential damage.
Last year, drinking water consumption in Hamburg was an impressive 114 million cubic meters, which corresponds to around 312,000 cubic meters daily. But the number of pipe bursts has reduced significantly over time - from 1,000 per year 20 years ago to around 360 in 2017. Larger leaks are quickly visible, while smaller ones often go undetected. Tangible solutions such as acoustic inspection systems are being tested to locate the leak and minimize the resulting repair costs.
Recent incidents also lead to increased awareness of the need to modernize and continuously monitor infrastructure. However, challenges remain and citizens will continue to feel a direct impact on their water supplies.