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Water Management and Waste

Water Treatment in Germany
Visitors Programme: Green Tech (made) in Germany

Berlin, September 6th, 2016

Evelyn Lukat
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The statutory framework of water

management in Europe and Germany
1975: Surface Water
1980: Drinking Water 2000: Water Framework

1977: Fertiliser Act 2006: Marine Framework

First wave: Third wave:

2007: Floods
Water quality Integrated approach

1970 2000 2030

Second wave: 2006 - 2013:
Emission limits Dangerous substances
Fresh waters fish
1976: Drinking Water
2006: Ground water
1978: Effluent Charges Act 2008: Environmental quality
1960: Surface standards
Water in Water 1991: Nitrates & Urban
Management Act Wastewater Treatment
2010:
1998: Drinking water Water Management Act
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Institutional
Self-Government
framework State
Authorities Agencies
and Water Users
Bund Agencies
Federal Ministries
Cities, Bund Institutions
Municipalities Supervision
Municipal Associations Monitoring
and Bases
Supervision
Enforcement Supreme Water
Authorities Bases
Inter-Municipal Ass. (Land Ministry)

Water Associations Supervision

Land Agencies
Dike Associations Land Institutions
Statutory Ass. Higher Water
Authorities
(Regional Government) Bases Supervision
Associated in Monitoring Bases
Supervision
and
Industry, Trades, Enforcement State Agencies
Lower Water
Agriculture Authorities for Water
Individuals (Cities, Districts, Agencies) Management

Source: Kraemer & Jaeger, 1998 3

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Statutory framework in Germany

Exclusive Concurrent Competence for

competence competence framework laws
Bund •WaterFramework • Water Management Act • Effluent Charges Act
Directive • Water Association Act
•Groundwater • Federal Waterways Act
•Floods • Drinking Water
•Marine Strategy Ordinanace
•Surface Water
•Drinking Water
Länder •Land Water Acts and
implementation of law

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The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD)

Attaining “good environmental status” for Europe’s rivers,
lakes, groundwater bodies and coastal waters by 2015
hydrological
regime, morphological
morpho- conditions or tidal
logical regime

physico-
biological
river basin specific chemical fish, benthic
pollutants invertebrates,
thermal, oxygenation aquatic flora
and nutrient
conditions

Source: UBA (2010) 5

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The Implementation of the WFD

River Basin Management
Plans

 Water management
according to the natural unit:
the river basin

 Responsibility on Laender
level

Source: BMU (2010)

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Good Ecological Status in Germany

In 2015,10 % of the surface water bodies are in good or very good state.

More than half of the water bodies are heavily modified in their flow regime. 3 % of
these have a good ecological potential.

The main reasons for not

reaching the good status are:

• Alterations in the flow regime

(regulations on the rivers,
interrupted passability)

• Nutrient emissions to water

bodies mainly from agriculture

Source: UBA (2015)

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Availability and Sources of Water stream water

1% water from
lakes and
reservoirs
12%

enriched
groundwater
9%
water from
bank filtration
groundwater 8%
61% spring
water
9%

Reclaimed water is not (yet) used in Germany due to

abundance of water resources

Sources: German Federal Statistical Office (2009) in wvgw (2011); German Federal Statistical Office (2013) 8
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Uses of Water
Non-public water supply
Agriculture comprises water uses of industry,
4%
Households agriculture and energy
9%
 94 % of the industrial water
Public
water demand is covered by own supply
supply
16%
Industry
23%
Non-
public
water Energy
supply (thermal
84% energy)
64%

Sources: VEWA (2010) & BDEW in wvgw (2011); TAB (2013), United States Geological Survey (2005) 9
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Per-capita water consumption in Germany

India: 135 L
Phillipines: 165 L
Canada: 335 L
UNDP 2006 10
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Per-capita water consumption in Germany

Since 1990, average water consumption has decreased by 16% due to changed
consumption patterns, the development and use of water-saving fittings and
household appliances.

Water for industry

continuously decreases
due to changed production
liters per person and day

processes and increasing

self-production.

However, facilities are

under used.

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Water Losses

Sources: IGES/TU Berlin (2010) & VEWA (2010) in WVGW(2011), Cooley & Gleick 2009 12
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Wastewater disposal in Germany in 2010

Source: German Federal Statistical Office in wvgw (2015) 13

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Role of municipalities in Germany

 Self government of municipalities is legally ensured.

 Municipalities are obliged to handle wastewater disposal and may manage their
drinking water supply.

 Water supply:
40% private,
60% public

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Role of municipalities in Germany

 Self government of municipalities is legally ensured.

 Municipalities are obliged to handle wastewater disposal and may manage their
drinking water supply.

 Water supply:
40% private,
60% public

#Title of Presentation# 15
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Waste Water Treatment

According to generally accepted best available technology
 1. Purification stage: Mechanical processes (adsorption, filtration, stripping)
with grill, sand filtration, primary sedimentation tank
 2. Purification stage: Microbiological processes, decomposition of organic
components (aerobic & unaerobic), elimination of organic Nitrogen &
Phosphorus
 3. Purification stage: Abiotic-chemical processes (oxidation, precipitation) to
further eliminate Phosphorus
97% of the municipal wastewater is treated at highest EU standard: biological
treatment with nutrient elimination.
Waste water treatment plants achieved removal of 81% of nitrogen and 91% of
phosphorous

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Challenge: Micropollution
100,000 compounds are registered in the EU; 25% evaluated for their
ecotoxicity (Fent, 2003)
 Personal hygiene products, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, paint
 Potentially toxic or carcinogenic

Which effects do they have?

 Endocrine disruptors

Techniques are known

 Managed aquifer recharge, advanced
oxidation techniques, hybrid
membrane filtration, bioassays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8iihsQYOos

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Thank you for listening!

Ecologic Institute
Pfalzburger Str. 43/44
10717 Berlin
Germany
Tel. +49 (30) 86880-0
ecologic.eu

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References (1)
Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (BMU). Erfahrungsbericht 2011
zum Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG-Erfahrungsbericht) gemäß § 65 EEG. Vorzulegen dem
Deutschen Bundestag durch die Bundesregierung. Entwurf vom 03.05.2011.

Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag (TAB). Herausforderungen einer

nachhaltigen Wasserwirtschaft: Innovationsreport. Working report no 158. Draft. Berlin: May 2013.

Cooley, H. & P. Gleick. Urban Water-Use Efficiencies:Lessons from United States Citites, in: P.
Gleick: The World's Water 2008–2009 - The Biennial Report of Freshwater Resources, Island Press,
2009, ISBN 10:1-59726-504-7

Fent, K. Ökotoxikologie: Umweltchemie, Toxikologie, Ökologie ; 63 Tabellen. Stuttgart [u.a.]: Thieme,

2003.

Kraemer, R.A. & F. Jäger. Germany. In: Institutions for Water Resources Management in Europe. pp.
183-325. F.N. Correia (Ed.). Vol. 1. Rotterdam: 1998.

8/12/2013 AWWA - Dessert and Learn about Germany, Denver – R.A. Kraemer 19
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References (2)
Richter, S., J. Völker & T. Dworak. Die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie: Auf dem Weg zu guten Gewässern-
Ergebnis der Bewirtschaftungsplanung 2009 in Deutschland. Bundesministeriums für Umwelt,
Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Wasserwirtschaft, Bonn: 2010.

Statistisches Bundesamt (German Federal Statistical Office). Umwelt: Öffentliche

Wasserversorgung und öffentliche Abwasserentsorgung 2010. Fachserie 19 Reihe 2.1.1.
Wiesbaden: 2013.

Umweltbundesamt (UBA). Ökologischer Zustand der Gewässer.

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/daten/gewaesserbelastung/fliessgewaesser/oekologischer-
zustand-der-fliessgewaesser. 2015.

Umweltbundesamt (UBA). Umweltbundesamt: Bedeutung der Wasserkraft in Deutschland.

http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/wasser/themen/fluesse-und-
seen/fluesse/belastungen/wasserkraftnutzung.htm. 2008.

UNDP. Human Development Report: Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis.
United Nations Development Programme, New York. 2006.

Wirtschafts- und Verlagsgesellschaft Gas und Wasser mbH (wvgw). Profile of the German Water
Sector. Bonn: 2015.

8/12/2013 AWWA - Dessert and Learn about Germany, Denver – R.A. Kraemer 20