Excitation and event management
"AEM" is short for "Suggestion and Event Management" and has been available on Stadtwerke Rodgau's website and later also on the Rodau app since 2013. It is a reporting system that people use to get in touch with the municipal utilities, ideally at the location of the incident.
Number of messages
In the last two and a half years, 546 defective street lights, 104 street damages and 1076 illegal waste deposits have been reported. Since 2025, found bicycles can also be reported directly; there have been 16 so far. The reports are received by Stadtwerke Rodgau and forwarded by email to the responsible organisational unit. Once a report has been processed, the reporters receive feedback by email. 80 per cent of the reports are dealt with on the same day and then the damage is repaired, the rubbish disposed of and, at best, the bikes are handed in to the public order office for the next lost property auction. 20 per cent of reports are dealt with in a maximum of 48 hours. The latter are usually larger items of rubbish. A crane lorry can sometimes be deployed here. The AEM helps the municipal utilities not only to localise the actual site, but also to arrive equipped with the necessary resources.
What is reported
This is why it is important to describe the situation as precisely as possible in the reporting system. And so, in addition to the humming street lamp, 45 bags of household waste or 30 rolls of asparagus tarpaulin with a diameter of 1 metre, there are also half sofas, the lamppost that has been hit, even with a reference to the potential culprit, prams, shopping trolleys or tyres with rims, without rims or next to rims. The range is colourful and equally annoying.
Costs
This is because the public bears the costs for every call-out by the municipal utilities. On average, between 100 and 150 euros are incurred for travelling to the site, removal, return journey and disposal. In the case of larger deposits requiring the use of vehicles, the costs can easily run into four figures.
How to do it right
There are also numerous ways to dispose of waste and superfluous items properly. There is not only the new recycling centre, but also the composting facility or the regular disposal of hazardous waste. Large items and bulky items can be registered for bulky waste and your own household waste can also be collected from your front door.
Notes and suggestions
However, it is not only rubbish deposits or damage that are passed on to the municipal utilities company via the defect report, but also suggestions about a traffic light circuit, a discovered oak processionary spider's nest or a missing town sign, for example. The report is usually short and sweet, but precise. Sometimes a "dead" or "broken" has to be enough for the public utilities staff to get their bearings and it is good if the "location" has been marked on the map in the AEM. The reports are made immediately or only after the reporter has been annoyed for some time. Above all, however, it is important that the reports are received at all, as this ensures that automated processes and fast response times provide a remedy. In this case, "AEM" is not just an abbreviation for Incident and Event Management, but a call for "Everyone Just Get Involved".