After participating in the German-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Conference in Münster, they worked together on technical topics in Oldenburg, including sewage sludge treatment and remediation using short liners.
During the conference, discussions focused on potential synergies in partnerships and Ukraine’s accession to the EU. In a panel discussion on municipal umbrella organisations, Ukraine’s municipal services were represented by Dmytro Novytskyi, President of the Ukrainian Association of Water Supply and Wastewater Companies ‘Ukrvodokanalekologiya’.
In a subsequent discussion about Ukraine’s potential and solidarity operator partnerships, Novytski said: ‘There is a saying in Ukraine: Don’t give us fish, give us a fishing rod and we will catch our own.’
It is this unwavering motivation that never fails to impress the OOWV and spur it on to continue its work.
The subsequent visit focused on topics that are particularly relevant to the Ukrainian partners in their everyday lives during the war: digitalisation, sewage sludge treatment and innovative remediation techniques. On the first day, they visited the sewage treatment plant in Oldenburg, where the focus was on sewage sludge treatment and biogas production. The exchange was characterised by open discussions about processes, differences and common challenges at the OOWV plants. The second day was rounded off with a visit to Junker & Meves, where the Ukrainian partners were able to gain practical experience by carrying out sewer rehabilitation themselves using short liners.
The fact that OOWV was able to provide its Ukrainian partners with practical insights and solutions was particularly evident in the more subtle moments – such as when the director from Chernihiv enthusiastically pulled out his mobile phone to capture ideas visually for his colleagues in Ukraine.
The solidarity operator partnership is therefore more than just a professional exchange: for the German colleagues, it makes the war more tangible because it suddenly has faces and names. And it shows that municipal services continue and must continue even under the most difficult conditions. The colleagues at OOWV are making their contribution to this – with technical support from OOWV and material support from GIZ. OOWV would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the internship and is eager to continue working on the newly identified topics.
