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Apply for authorisation under water law
The water law licence gives you the right to use a body of water for a specific purpose. In addition, the type and extent of utilisation are determined by water law.
This includes
- Taking or discharging water from surface waters,
- damming up or lowering surface waters,
- removing solid substances from surface waters,
- Withdrawing or discharging groundwater.
A waterworks operator can, for example, obtain a water licence from a water authorityiauthorisation to pump drinking water.
The licence is granted
- only under certain conditions (in particular §§ 13, 14 of the Federal Water Act - WHG) and
- and only for a certain period of time, usually not for a long timenthan 30 years (Section 14 (2) WHG).
Responsible authority
The lower water authority is generally responsible:
- for water uses in a city district: the city administration
- for water utilisation in a district: the district administration.
The regional councils as higher water authorities are responsible for utilisation in accordance with Section 82 (2) and (3) of the Baden-Württemberg Water Act.
Details
Prerequisite
Authorisation may only be granted if the implementation of the project is unreasonable without a secure legal status.
Authorisation will not be granted if
- harmful changes to the watercourse are to be expected that cannot be avoided or compensated for, even by means of ancillary provisions (Section 12 (1) no. 1 WHG) or
- other requirements under public law are not fulfilled (Section 12(1)(2) WHG).
Procedure
Apply in writing to the competent authority for a water licence. They will check the application and issue the licence.
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- Application documents (plans/documents for the planned project)
- Parcel map(s) for the designated project area
- Consent of the person responsible for maintenance of the watercourse used
- declaration of consent under neighbouring law for the crossing of third-party land.
Note: In individual cases, you must submit further documents on request.
Costs
depending on the fee schedule of the competent authority
Miscellaneous
If you have any questions, please contact your local water authority directly.
Legal basis
Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (WHG)
- § 9 Benutzungen
- § 10 Inhalt der Erlaubnis und der Bewilligung
- § 12 Voraussetzungen für die Erteilung der Erlaubnis und der Bewilligung, Bewirtschaftungsermessen
- § 13 Inhalts- und Nebenbestimmungen der Erlaubnis und der Bewilligung
- § 14 Besondere Vorschriften für die Erteilung der Bewilligung
Wassergesetz für Baden-Württemberg (WG)
- § 93 Erlaubnis- und Bewilligungsverfahren (zu § 11 WHG)
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 23.07.2025
