PFAS in Rastatt

PFAS are artificially produced substances. Due to their water, dirt and grease-repellent properties, they are used in many products today, for example in the manufacture of outdoor clothing or paper cups.

In the past, PFAS-contaminated paper sludge or fire extinguishing agents were applied to arable land in Mittelbaden. This led to contamination of the soil and groundwater. The contamination spread throughout the region via the flow of groundwater.

PFAS-contaminated areas currently exist in the Münchfeldsiedlung, Niederbühl, Förch, Rauental and Wintersdorf.

Private well owners in PFAS-contaminated areas should not use groundwater. Not even for watering plants or fields. The city of Rastatt supports owners of garden wells in testing their groundwater. Samples of the groundwater are taken, forwarded to a laboratory and the results are then sent back to the well owners. The costs for the analysis must be borne by the well owner. Support and further information is available from the municipal water management customer service department at wasserwirtschaft@rastatt.de

Of the three waterworks in Rastatt - Niederbühl, Rauental and Ottersdorf - Niederbühl has been shut down due to PFAS contamination. Rauental, however, has been upgraded with a highly effective activated carbon filter system. Stadtwerke Rastatt regularly tests the drinking water quality. The results confirm that Rastatt's drinking water is safe to drink and meets all the quality criteria of the Drinking Water Ordinance.