profile of the german water sector 2015 (summary) - dvgw · 2018. 3. 12. · source: 25th dwa...

ArbeitsgemeinschaftTrinkwassertalsperren e.V.

TT

Summary2015

Profile of the German Water Sector

02

Profile of the German Water Sector 2015

With the “Profile of the German Water Sector 2015” the ATT, BDEW, DVGW, DBVW, DWA and VKU in consultation with the German Association of Cities (Deutscher Städtetag – DST) and the German As-sociation of Towns and Municipalities (Deutscher Städte- und Gemeindebund – DStGB) provide an up-to-date picture of water supply and waste-water disposal in Germany. It gives the interested public and decision makers extensive, detailed in-formation about the water sector’s performance, the great variety of its tasks and the current chal-lenges it faces. Like the previous three editions since 2005, the fully up-dated Profile 2015 dem-onstrates that the modernisation strategy pursued equally by the government and by the water sector itself is also taking effect in an increasingly difficult environment.

The Profile documents the high performance of the German water sector in European and interna-tional comparison with regard to safety, quality and sustainability of the supply and disposal services,

economic efficiency and customer satisfaction. It is essential to maintain the level of performance achieved to date and to bring about improvements wherever possible and required.

The associations promote the continuous im-provement process in the companies through benchmarking and recommend their members participate in benchmarking projects (Associa-tions’ Declarations 2003 and 2005). Benchmarking means to compare and improve by learning from the other participants in a comparison group.

Benchmarking, the transparent documentation of performance through the water sector’s Profile, and continuous development are the pillars of the sector’s permanent improvement which it imple-ments in its own responsibility. This concept was acknowledged and supported by the German Fed-eral Government in its 2006 report on the modernisation strategy for the German water sector.

Foreword

Edited byAssociation of Drinking Water from Reservoirs (ATT) German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) German Alliance of Water Management Associations (DBVW) German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW)German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA) German Association of Local Utilities (VKU)

Publisherwvgw Wirtschafts- und Verlagsgesellschaft Gas und Wasser mbHJosef-Wirmer-Straße 3 · 53123 Bonnphone: +49 228 9191-40 · fax: +49 228 9191-499 [email protected] · www.wvgw.de

© wvgw Wirtschafts- und Verlagsgesellschaft Gas und Wasser mbH, 2015

PhotosAndreas Schulz, DBVW, iStockphoto, Jürgen Lowis, Konzept und Bild/C. Bach, wvgw

Production Warlich Druck Meckenheim GmbH

The work including any part thereof is protected by copyright and may not be exploited without the prior consent of the Publisher unless expressly authorised by the Copyright Act. This shall in particular apply to any reproduction, editing, translation, microfilming as well as storing and processing in electronic systems.

Summary

03


Performance

In Germany the citizens always have drinking wa-ter available in excellent quality and sufficient quantity. In addition to the comfortable resource situation in Germany as a water-rich country, the

high technical standards and a range of voluntary measures by the water sector contribute to the protection of natural resources.

Core statements

Source: German Federal Statistical Office, Fachserie 19, Reihe 2.1.1, published in 02/2013; German Federal Institute of Hydrology

Water utilisation in Germany in 2010Total available water resources: 188 billion cubic metresData as percent

Non-public water supply 28 billion m³

Public water supply 5.1 billion m³

Unused 154.9 billion m³

2.7 %

82.4 %

14.9 %

Wastewater treatment in Germany is also at a very high level. In contrast to many EU countries, al-most 100 percent of the wastewater is treated to the highest EU purification standard. Through their work, drinking water suppliers and wastewater utilities thus contribute significantly to preventive and comprehensive water resources protection.

Performance characteristics of the water supply and wastewater disposal in Germany are long-term safety of supply and disposal, high drinking water quality, high wastewater disposal standards, high customer satisfaction and careful management of water resources and economic efficiency. These aspects are considered in the 5-pillar benchmark-ing concept. Through the nationwide application of benchmarking, the utilities have significantly improved in all service areas.

Summary

04


Summary

To remain sustainable, the water sector needs to be efficient, to cover costs and be transparent for the customers. Benchmarking projects are a key instrument here. The main prerequisites for the success of the benchmarking and performance in-

dicator projects are confidentiality and voluntari-ness, but also the consistency and compatibility of data. For this purpose, the performance indicator systems of the industry are continually developed.

Approved technical standards and adherence to strict legal requirements lead to the high quality and the long-term safety of the German drinking water supply and wastewater disposal.

Organisation and efficiency

In Germany, water supply and wastewater disposal are core duties of public services in the general in-terest within the competence of the municipalities or other public corporations. Their democratically legitimised bodies take the strategic decisions with

regard to the forms of organisation, participations and cooperation. Germany has a varied supply and disposal structure comprising public and private sector companies.

Source: 25th DWA performance comparison of municipal wastewater treatment plants, 2013

Improvement in the effluent quality of municipal wastewater treatment plants Based on the example of phosphate and nitrogen

20

0

40

60

80

100

120

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Total nitrogen Total phosphate Ammonium

Nut

rient

con

tent

s in

%

(1992

= 10

0 %

)

05


Summary

Source: Study: Quality and image of drinking water in Germany (TWIS), data report 2013/2014, I.E.S.K./VKU

Customer satisfaction with the service of their water supplier Answer “very satisfied” and “satisfied”

65

60

2011 = 10,119 respondents

as %

of t

he re

spon

dent

s

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

70

75

80

85

2013 = 9,899 respondents 2014 = 8,242 respondents

72.59 72.47 72.0673.36 73.13 73.83

71.96

73.88 73.8672.18 72.42

74.1975.20 74.70 75.20

76.50 75.3076.50 76.08

74.97 76.70 76.4277.27 76.23

75.58 75.5477.62 78.01

80.2078.47 78.23

79.2681.33 81.16

The German water sector is one of the largest cus-tomers for the private sector, as planning and con-

struction contracts are awarded to a large extent to outside companies.

Development of capital expenditure in public water supply and wastewater disposal from 2000 to 2014according to plant areas, in billion Euro

Source: Water supply: BDEW Water Statistics; Wastewater disposal: BDEW/DWA/Deutscher Städtetag - wastewater survey, p = provisional

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

0,0

6,0

7,0

2000

6.9

2001

5.1

2002

5.3

2003

4.9

2004

4.4

2005

5.5

2006

3.8

2007

4.2

2008

3.7

2009

4.6

2010

3.4

2011

4.4

2012

3.7

2013

4.6

2014p

4.8

Water supply Wastewater disposal

2.5 2.32.6

2.3 2.2 2.3 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4

06


The water utilities have realised that it is optimally qualified employees with their industry-specific knowledge and skills that keep the utilities viable

in the long-term. Therefore, they have continu-ally invested in the education of young people for many years, often beyond their own needs.

Fees, drinking water quality, environmental re-quirements as well as water abstraction rights and discharge rights are subject to strict state control; the cost coverage is anchored in law. The increase in fees for drinking water and wastewater have mainly been below the inflation index for many years. Safety of supply and drinking water quality are of utmost importance for the customers and almost all consider the fees paid for this to be ap-propriate.

The specific regional and local parameters deter-mine the supply and disposal conditions on site. Water supply and wastewater disposal therefore always require locally adapted solutions. This, combined with the different legal requirements of the federal states, results in different efforts and costs. Taking into account the respective water consumption and performance standards, custom-ers in Germany spend less on their drinking water than customers in comparable European countries.

Source: VKU

Control of prices and charges

public law utilities

CONTROL INSTITUTIONS

private law utilities

administrative court

verification on the customer’s

request

local supervision

control of by-laws

cartel authority

supervision and review on

suspicion of abuse

civil court

verification on the customer’s

request

free choice

charges under public law prices under private law

Summary

07


In Germany, water supply and wastewater disposal are core duties of public services in the general in-terest within the competence of the municipalities or other public corporations. Their democratically legitimised bodies take the strategic decisions with regard to the forms of organisation, participations and cooperation. Fees, drinking water quality, environmental requirements as well as water abstrac-tion rights and discharge rights are subject to strict state control; the cost coverage is anchored in law.

The charges and prices are largely determined by the specific regional and local context. They have mainly developed below the inflation index for many years.

Development of the prices and charges for the water supply/ wastewater disposal and the inflation rate 2005 to 2013Year 2005 (wastewater disposal) = 100

Source: Water supply: BDEW, German Federal Statistical Office; Wastewater disposal: German Federal Statistical Office, Fachserie 17, Reihe 7

Index of inflationIndex of water supply

Inde

x

115.0

110.0

105.0

100.0

95.02005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

101.5100.0

101.6

103.9

106.7107.0

110.4

112.6

114.3

108.2

102.6103.4

105.3 107,1108.3

110.4

112.2

100.0

Index of wastewater charges

100.0

100.4101.5

103.0104.1

106.9

108.6109.5 110.1

Summary

08


Tasks and challenges

The requirements put on modern, sustainable wa-ter management are increasing steadily. It’s no longer just a matter of providing drinking water and treating wastewater. The comprehensive approach is increasingly gaining in importance, with the aim of achieving a sustainable, integrated water man-agement. Thus, in addition to drinking water supply and wastewater disposal, among other things, the maintenance and protection of water bodies, the landscape water regime and coastal protection and flood control are among the tasks of a functioning water sector. In addition, the changes in social pri-orities influence the work of the water sector. Thus, energy consumption and efficiency, and resource protection are becoming increasingly high profile. Concomitant conflicts of use with the water sector need to be solved through social consensus.

In addition to proven methods, the utilities develop and test new technologies to save or generate en-

ergy. This includes, for example, the use of energy-efficient pumping technologies or heat recovery from wastewater. Operators make great efforts to treat wastewater with a minimum expenditure of energy. In wastewater disposal, a quarter of the total power consumption of 4.2 tWh per year is al-ready covered by the utilities’ own energy produc-tion in the context of sludge digestion.

As a result of our modern industrial society and sophisticated analytics, anthropogenic micro pol-lutants can be detected better in groundwater and surface water. There is considerable need for research on their effects on humans and the en-vironment. This challenge cannot be dealt with solely by the water sector. When dealing with mi-cro pollutants, the focus needs to be on preventing their input at the immediate source. Where this is not possible, the polluter pays principle needs to be applied.

Source: VKU, Energie im Fokus, 2012

Share of the plants' own energy generationas percent

external energy procurement

own energy generation

29 %

71 %

Summary

09


Water consumption has been decreasing sig-nificantly for decades. Nevertheless, the utilities have to provide appropriate capacity for peak de-mand and an infrastructure which is able to cope

with this. Therefore, political demands for further reductions in water consumption are not reason-able, especially in water-rich Germany.

Source: German Federal Statistical Office, Fachserie 19, Reihe 2.1, Heft 2010, published in 08/2013

Development of the per-capita water consumptionData in litres per person and day, Germany

125

130

135

140

145

120

150

1991

144

1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010

132

129127

126

122121

Demographic and climate change together with continuously decreasing water consumption pose great challenges for the German water sector. The German water sector meets these challenges by developing solutions that are adapted to the

respective conditions. It proves that it can meet these challenges thanks to its comprehensive technical, economic and scientific expertise and its practical research activities.

Demographic change, the looming climate change, the sophisticated detection and the minimisation of the input of anthropogenic micro pollutants, as well as conflicts of use with industry, agriculture and energy policy objectives are the current challenges faced by the German water sector. Drink-ing water supply and wastewater disposal face these tasks and work locally to achieve flexible and adapted solutions that comply with the social consensus.

Summary

10


Statewide benchmarking projects in water supply and wastewater disposal

To remain competitive, the water sector needs to be efficient, economically viable and transparent to the customer. Benchmarking projects are a key tool here so that the sector continues to develop

steadily and dynamically. Therefore, the associa-tions of the water sector have supported the vari-ous benchmarking projects commissioned by the economics, interior and environment ministries of

Source: Public project reports and BDEW 2014

with public project report

without public project reportshare of drinking water quantities covered by benchmarking projects (cumulative value)

xx %

Distribution of statewide water supply benchmarking projects

North Rhine-Westphalia

86 %

Schleswig-Holstein

28 %

Hesse42 %

Rhineland-Palatinate

67 %

Saarland92 % Bavaria

60 %

Bremen100 %

Branden-burg95 %

Saxony71 %

Saxony-Anhalt64 %

Lower Saxony81 %

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

80 %

Baden- Württemberg

66 %

Thuringia63 %

Hamburg100 %

Berlin100 %

Summary

11


Source: Public project reports and DWA 2014

Distribution of statewide wastewater disposal benchmarking projects

with statewide project

without statewide projectdegree of coverage for wastewater treatment of the population (cumulative value)

xx %

North Rhine-Westphalia

75 %

Hesse21 %

Rhineland- Palatinate

84 %

Bavaria57 %

Branden-burg95 %

Saxony30 %

Saxony-Anhalt45 %

Lower Saxony25 %

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

81 %

Baden- Württemberg

50 %

Thuringia42 %

Berlin100 %

BENCHMARKING ABWASSER BAYERNBenchmarking der Unternehmen der Abwasserentsorgung

Ergebnisbericht für das Erhebungsjahr 2012

Schleswig- Holstein

9 %

Bremen80 %

Hamburg100 %

the federal states or by the utilities themselves for more than a decade. The maps provide an overview of which federal states already have public project

reports, and indicate the extent of the area the projects now cover.

Saarland

Summary

Contact addresses and contact persons:

Association of Drinking Water from Reservoirs (ATT)

Prof. Dr. Lothar Scheuerc/o AggerverbandSonnenstraße 4051645 Gummersbachphone: +49 2261 36-1000fax: +49 2261 36-81000lothar.scheuer@aggerverband.dewww.trinkwassertalsperren.de

German Association of Energyand Water Industries (BDEW)

Astrid Groth Reinhardtstr. 32 10117 Berlin phone: +49 30 300199-1213 fax: +49 30 300199-3213 [email protected] www.bdew.de

German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW)

Dipl.-Ing. Kirsten WagnerJosef-Wirmer-Str. 1–353123 Bonnphone: +49 228 9188-868fax: +49 228 [email protected]

German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA)

Dr. Stefanie BudewigTheodor-Heuss-Allee 1753773 Hennefphone: +49 2242 872-144fax: +49 2242 [email protected]

German Alliance of Water Management Associations(DBVW)

Dipl.-Ing. Dörte BurgAm Mittelfelde 16930519 Hannoverphone: +49 511 87966-0fax: +49 511 [email protected]

German Association of Local Utilities (VKU)

Dirk Seifert M. A.Invalidenstr. 9110115 Berlinphone: +49 30 58580-155fax: +49 30 [email protected]

To obtain a copy of the full publication, please contact one of the editing associations. as of 15 October 2014

profile of the german water sector 2015 (summary) - dvgw · 2018. 3. 12. · source: 25th dwa...

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