It is a special moment for Kevelaer as a recognized health resort with a thermal spring: the drinking fountain in the St. Jakob brine garden is now open to the public. Following the renovation of the riser of the healing spring and the approval of the medicinal product, the Kevelaer thermal brine can now be drunk directly on site.
A long road to release
The launch was preceded by extensive technical work in the brine garden. This included the fundamental renovation of the riser of the healing spring as well as other preparatory measures relating to the use of the Kevelaer thermal brine. The spring feeds the graduation tower and now also the drinking fountain in the tourist information center. Following completion of the work in January, samples were taken and recently formal approval was granted by the competent person in accordance with the German Medicines Act and the responsible district government.
Stadtwerke Kevelaer acts as the pharmaceutical company. The competent person is Peter Kern from Med LaborUnion GmbH, who is also in charge of quality control. Kern has been involved in the development of the St. Jakob brine garden and the use of the Kevelaer thermal brine from the very beginning.
Technical responsibility on site
Production is managed by pipe network foreman Dirk Verhoeven, with Georg Ambrosius as his deputy. Both are responsible for the production and on-site support of the Kevelaer thermal brine - from technical implementation to commissioning. Georg van Lipzig and Dirk Adamaschek were responsible for the electrical and control connections.
"The work on the riser and the preparations for commissioning, such as the construction of the mixing plant, kept us busy for many months. It was clear to us that when the drinking fountain starts up, it will do so with the utmost care and tested quality. The fact that everything is now ready makes us proud," says Dirk Verhoeven. Verhoeven and Ambrosius check the system daily, disinfect the drinking fountain, check the measured values and initiate further measures if necessary.
Natural healing water
The Kevelaer thermal brine emerges with a spring temperature of 27 degrees Celsius. Water at a temperature of over 20 degrees is considered thermal brine. Among other things, it contains salt, magnesium, iodine, calcium, potassium and iron and is recognized as natural healing water.
Brine can have a therapeutic supportive effect, for example for skin and respiratory diseases or vegetative complaints. It is a medical product and is intended to support, not cure. In addition to fresh drinking water, 0.5% and 1% brine is also available at the drinking fountain. Depending on the concentration, up to one liter a day for three to six weeks is recommended as part of a cure.
"With the drinking fountain, our healing spring can be experienced directly. This is another building block for the attractiveness of the brine garden and our spa location," explains Operations Manager Wolfgang Toonen. Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler also emphasizes the importance: "The thermal brine is part of our identity. The fact that it can now be drunk directly in the brine garden for the first time strengthens Kevelaer as a health and recreation location."
Excellent craftsmanship
The fountain was designed by stonemason Benedikt Kreusch from Kleve. Last year, he was awarded the quality mark of the NRW Stonemasons' and Sculptors' Guild Association for the design of the drinking fountain.
The drinking fountain is only accessible during the opening hours of the tourist information office in the St. Jakob brine garden.
From May to October, the following times apply: Tuesdays to Fridays 9 am to 1 pm and 1:30 pm to 5 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm.
From November to April, the tourist information office is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 9 am to 1 pm and 1:30 pm to 4 pm.
Caption:
At the new drinking fountain in the St. Jakob brine garden: Dirk Adamaschek, Wolfgang Toonen (Operations Manager Stadtwerke Kevelaer), Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler, Dirk Verhoeven, Georg Ambrosius, Georg van Lipzig (all Stadtwerke Kevelaer) (from left).