Wastewater Disposal; Implementation

Under the Bavarian Water Act, wastewater disposal is a mandatory responsibility of municipalities and cities, which carry out this duty within their own jurisdictions. To this end, municipalities and cities (or, where applicable, municipal wastewater associations) construct and operate sewer networks (for the collection and conveyance of wastewater) and wastewater treatment plants (for wastewater treatment).

Wastewater may only be discharged into water bodies if its quality meets certain minimum requirements, which are established uniformly at the federal level in the Water Resources Act and specified in the Wastewater Ordinance.

To enable municipalities and cities to collect wastewater and comply with these requirements, they define the scope of the municipal area to be served by the sewer system, as well as the requirements regarding the type and quality of wastewater to be discharged into the sewer system by households and commercial establishments, through the municipal drainage ordinance. The Contribution and Fee Ordinance governs the financing of wastewater treatment facilities through (one-time) contributions and (recurring) fees. In those areas of the municipal territory where no public sewer system is being constructed, proper wastewater disposal is the responsibility of property owners and is usually carried out using small-scale wastewater treatment plants.

If you have questions about wastewater disposal (sewer connection options, mandatory connection and use, contribution and fee amounts, wastewater treatment, effluent standards for the treatment plant, etc.), it is best to contact your municipality first.

(Optional) Appeal Procedure