On 30 June 2023, Versorgungsbetriebe Hoyerswerda (VBH), the utility company from the city, celebrated two special occasions at the Zeißig waterworks: VBH is 30 years young and, just in time for its birthday, the ceremonial inauguration of the extended waterworks took place. In the afternoon, the utilities invited interested citizens to an open day.
Together with about 150 regional and national guests from politics and business, the 30th anniversary of VBH and the ceremonial inauguration of the Zeißig waterworks were celebrated in the morning.
The Zeißig waterworks was rebuilt last year as an important structural change project with funds from the federal government under the Coal Regions Investment Act (InvKG) and the Free State of Saxony. The investment was necessary in order to be prepared for the structural change and the strengthening of industry and tourism in the region after the closure of the Schwarze Pumpe waterworks. Today, the Zeißig waterworks supplies the entire region with water and also supplies other water suppliers in the region via a long-distance pipeline system. The modernisation was accompanied by an increase in the performance of the Zeißig waterworks to a total treatment capacity of 11,500 cubic metres per day.
VBH Managing Director Wolf-Thomas-Hendrich welcomed the guests together with Diana Karbe from the city administration, who did the Sorbian translation, and recalled highlights as well as challenges of the VBH history. Further greetings were given by the Mayor of Hoyerswerda Torsten Ruban-Zeh, Thomas Bleier, Managing Director of the Städtische Wirtschaftsbetriebe Hoyerswerda (SWH), Councillor Dr Romy Reinisch representing the District Administrator of the Bautzen District, Jörg Huntemann, Commissioner for Structural Development at the Free State of Saxony, and Daniela Fünfstück, Managing Director of Sportclub Hoyerswerda.
After the welcoming speeches, Robert Böhme from the city administration gave a short presentation of the “#WHY! campaign” of the city of Hoyerswerda. Before a graffiti by the artist René Kruner from the City of Weißwasser was unveiled on the wall of the waterworks by all the protagonists as a special highlight, the little ones from the children’s house “Märchenland” from Hoyerswerda gave a sample of their skills.
Following the official part, visitors could look forward to guided tours of the waterworks, experimentation and information stands of the utilities, information on the #WHY! campaign, refreshment from the VBH drinking water bar and fun for the little ones.
