Background information on the National Water Strategy

The 10 strategic issues of the National Water Strategy:

• 01 Protect, restore and ensure a semi-natural water regime for the long term – prevent water scarcity and conflicting goalsopenclose

  Since the drought events in recent years, water supply, water uses and possible conflicts over water as a resource have become a greater focus of public attention in Germany as well. Due to the impacts of the climate crisis on the quantity and quality of water, it will be necessary in future to develop cross-sector and joint approaches to solutions to prevent competing uses and conflicting objectives for water resources in the medium and long term, taking into account regional differences. A regional water regime that is as semi-natural as possible will be an important prerequisite for stable water resources and for protecting the environment.

  Proactive planning to prevent water use conflicts first requires a reliable knowledge base obtained through targeted monitoring of the entire water regime. We need greater understanding of the impacts of climate change to be able to develop better models and scenarios for estimates of regional water resources available in the future. This includes nationwide water regime modelling (also a hydrogeological model), tied in with climate models as a basis for analysing regional water resources and future water needs for drinking water, agriculture, industry and ecosystems. Water supply plans that are as comprehensive as possible must be developed on this basis.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 02 Ensure that land use in rural and urban areas is compatible with water bodies and adapted to the climateopenclose

  The type of land use will also play a major role in achieving the goal of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 and in preserving species-rich natural and cultural landscapes. It is also highly relevant for maintaining a semi-natural water regime and protecting water resources. At the same time, a stable, semi-natural water regime is a key prerequisite for viable land use in future. The impacts of the climate crisis and shrinking water resources, especially in the spring and summer months, will affect agriculture and forestry in particular, as well as aquaculture but also nature conservation. Longer and more intense dry periods will pose an increasingly serious problem for agriculture.

  As a result, we plan to develop a framework strategy to permanently maintain a semi-natural and functional water regime together with land users. The aim is to identify practical measures for water use in agricultural management and in particularly vulnerable areas of forestry management so that enough water is available to preserve and restore ecosystems and biodiversity and maintain the water supply for humans, as well as to support consistent pursuit of best practices. It is essential to have water use plans for large areas that take into account future planning and developments and provide guidance for permitting water withdrawals for the various uses.

  In German towns and cities, soil sealing is still on the rise. Most rainwater is discharged into the sewage system. This impairs rainwater infiltration and leads to high surface runoff at certain points during heavy rainfall. The result can be more urban flash floods and flooding. At the same time, the effect of heat islands occurs more frequently in town and city centres due to the high degree of sealing and the lack of green spaces and cold air corridors. The natural cooling function of damp soil and groundwater recharge are diminished by the immediate runoff of falling precipitation.

  Water-smart urban development (sponge city) is a key component of climate-friendly, liveable towns and cities. The guiding principle of the water-smart city must be further developed with a practical and feasible approach and linked to proposed measures for implementation in the municipalities. The aim is to strengthen the sustainable use of water in general, specifically rainwater, in towns and cities. This concerns infiltration, evaporation, storage of rainwater and heavy rain management. We need to make use of process water and rainwater, minimise pollutants and develop ways to adapt to hot and dry periods in towns and cities.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 03 Further develop sustainable management of water bodies – achieve and preserve good statusopenclose

  Intact river landscapes and floodplains are among the most biodiverse habitats in Germany. The immense potential of semi-natural rivers and floodplains to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere must be leveraged for nature-based climate action. Semi-natural floodplains regulate runoff when water levels are high or low and can mitigate the impacts of climate change on landscape hydrology. They retain significant amounts of water in the landscape with a positive impact on vegetation and microclimate (cooling). One particular challenge for the federal government and the federal states is to achieve the ecological objectives of the Water Framework Directive. There is still a long way to go to ensure continuity (dismantling of barriers and hydrological complexes) for native species and sediments, and the implementation of hydromorphological and renaturation measures.

  The nature conservation and water management requirements for implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directives and the Water Framework Directive must be jointly assessed at an early stage and included in the management plans, and specific measures must be effectively implemented, taking into account all interests. The hydraulic infrastructure and the maintenance measures on and around watercourses must enable both their continuity as well as semi-natural morphology and natural dynamic processes when integrating and reconnecting floodplains.

  The National Water Strategy advocates systematic harnessing of the synergies between watercourse and floodplain development, conservation and promotion of biodiversity, climate adaptation, recreation, flood protection and low water management. The goal is to create more space for water bodies to develop. The land needed for this development must be determined and defined in land targets, and embedded in spatial planning and building law. This requires nationwide planning to identify and map water body development areas. The aim is planning that secures the land needed for water body corridors and floodplains for the stringent, ecologically effective implementation of structural measures for water bodies. Greater use must be made of planning instruments for securing water body development areas in regional planning and urban land use planning under current law.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 04 Mitigate risks caused by pollutantsopenclose

  The discharge of substances and pathogens into water bodies can pose a risk to human health and the environment. Despite considerable progress in reducing pollutant discharge, water bodies still contain far too many pollutants from various sources, such as industry, municipalities, private households and agriculture. Many substances only degrade very slowly or not at all in water bodies.

  One challenge is to significantly reduce the pollutant load of wastewater by means of measures along the entire chain. The wastewater load of the individual production stages as well as water-efficient products and manufacturing processes must be taken into account as early as the product design stage. This kind of integrated, multi-barrier approach requires all stakeholders along the value chain, including producers, industry and consumers, to act responsibly and cooperate with one other.

  Germany supports the zero pollution action plan presented by the European Commission as part of the Green Deal. This, together with the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, forms the European framework for measures to prevent harmful exposure to pollutants for humans and the environment. With regard to the sustainable use of pesticides, the aim is that in future, permanently vegetated riparian buffer strips have to be established on 100 percent of water bodies on agricultural land, especially in drinking water protection areas, nature conservation areas and sensitive areas identified by hot spot analyses. There is also a ban on using pesticides next to water bodies at a distance of ten metres (without vegetated buffer strips) and five metres for vegetated buffers strips. Extensive monitoring aims to ensure nationwide implementation of applicable law.

  The German Centre for Micropollutants (SZB) at the German Environment Agency supports measures resulting from the trace substance dialogue, which will be continued with stakeholders. A list of especially relevant pollutants will be developed on the basis of the findings of this dialogue.

  The federal government sees extended producer responsibility as a suitable instrument for providing incentives for measures to reduce the pollution of water bodies by trace substances and pollutants along the entire value chain. For reasons of effectiveness and to avoid putting Germany at a competitive disadvantage, a suitable approach should be pursued at EU level.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 05 Further develop water infrastructure adapted to the climate – protect against extreme events and ensure supplyopenclose

  The supporting pillars of public services are a reliable and adequate supply of high-quality water and effective wastewater and rainwater management. Precautions to counter the impacts of extreme events and disasters such as floods, low water levels and droughts as well as measures to prevent ecosystems and their services from further decline are other key elements. The safety of the public drinking water supply is of particular importance. Germany has infrastructure for water management that has evolved over many decades and essentially functions well (drinking water and wastewater pipelines, dykes, et cetera) Preserving the value (remediation, maintenance) of this infrastructure and modernising and adapting it to the impacts of climate change pose major financial challenges.

  The National Water Strategy stresses the importance of increasingly creating "green" and "blue" infrastructure, for example by restoring floodplains, peatlands and semi-natural watercourses in addition to the traditional technically based “grey” water infrastructure such as sewer systems, retention basins, dams, wells and flood protection. These nature-based solutions use nature’s ecosystem services and combine them with technical infrastructure. Green-blue infrastructure can make it possible to manage rainwater differently in towns and cities, for example by desealing areas for rainwater retention and for cooling towns and cities.

  Taking into account the impacts of climate change, synergies between flood and low water risk management will be investigated and solutions developed, especially with regard to storage management. This requires, among other things, digital mapping of areas that may be particularly affected by flooding during heavy rainfall (heavy rainfall warning maps).

  It also requires regional water supply plans that take into account different scenarios of the future development of water resources and needs as well as supraregional interfaces and are in line with the risk-based approach. The water supply plans should be based on nationally comparable methods to ensure that the results can also be compiled to form a consistent overall picture across federal states. Based on an integrated risk-based approach, guidelines and regulations for critical infrastructure in the water sector must be drawn up and further developed and then implemented by the relevant bodies (authorities and operators).

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 06 Link water, energy and substance cyclesopenclose

  Substances in wastewater can also be raw materials that should be used to promote circularity. Using water and its components and thermal heat with an awareness of circularity will lead to greater sustainability in the water sector. This applies both to water reuse if the quality is suitable for use and the environment, but also to the generation and consumption of energy in the water supply and wastewater disposal systems and the use of substances contained in wastewater, such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

  Unlike recirculating cooling and process water in the manufacturing industry, recirculation of used drinking water or the management of rainwater in buildings, cities, towns and municipalities is still rare. The reuse of used drinking water (grey water use with heat recovery) or the use of rainwater in buildings is still not very common, despite advanced technology being available.

  The wastewater sector can contribute to climate change mitigation by harnessing other technical options for energy-saving measures and potential energy recovery. It can also compensate for potentially higher energy consumption through greater purification capabilities.

  The provisions in the EU Regulation on minimum requirements for water reuse will be implemented in order to ensure the hygienically safe and environmentally compatible use of treated wastewater for irrigation in agriculture with no negative impacts on health. Corresponding provisions for other areas of application, for example in towns, cities and municipalities, need to be developed where this makes environmental sense and is justifiable and where no threats to health are expected. This can best be avoided when used in industry. Implementing the EU Regulation will also help optimise nutrient cycles. In addition, legal requirements and guidelines for the use of treated wastewater will be drafted. Corresponding strategies must be given consideration in municipal urban land use planning and water supply plans.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 07 Strengthen efficient administrations, improve data flows, optimise legal frameworks and secure financingopenclose

  The water sector in Germany has a many-layered organisational structure. Public water responsibilities are divided among the federal government, the federal states, districts and municipalities. The functions of the water sector are also carried out by various private and public companies and association structures (for example special purpose associations, special law associations, water and soil associations).

  In many cases, water management authorities are now working at the limits of their capacity. They acknowledge that they no longer have the capacity to rigorously fulfil all of their legally prescribed responsibilities. Authorities are increasingly facing a huge shortage of qualified professionals and do not have access to the technical and financial resources required to satisfy current requirements.

  Water is the link between the various sectors, for example health, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, transport, nature conservation, spatial planning and regional development and between the responsible authorities. These act at different levels (municipal, regional, federal state, federal). Administrative structures must ensure, through a comprehensive approach, that authorities such as administrations for energy, transport and agriculture are able to handle water conservation responsibilities assigned to them. Further development of the legal framework is required in order to meet the water challenges described in the Water Strategy, at national level and to some extent at European level. Cooperation has to be improved at all levels of government. Intermunicipal cooperation must be further developed in order to increase the effectiveness of water supply, wastewater management and water body maintenance, and to secure the economic efficiency of public services in rural regions for the long term. The Water Strategy proposes a review of whether pooling technical expertise, for example by creating administration-specific competence centres, could reduce the local workload. Strengthening the administrations also means improving digital skills and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalisation.

  The Federal Water Act (WHG) and other relevant provisions need to be reviewed and adapted as required in order to address the challenges identified in the Water Strategy (in particular the impacts of the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity). Additionally, current water law will be examined to see whether it reflects future challenges and developments at European Union level, for example the Green Deal and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 08 Intensify protection of marine areas (North and Baltic Seas) from pollutants from landopenclose

  The North and Baltic Seas are ecologically valuable and sensitive areas that are coming under increasing pressure from human use.

  The wide range of uses include various forms of energy generation, resource extraction, shipping, fishing, water sports and beach tourism. Related construction measures in the sea (for example lowering the seabed) can also have major and permanent negative impacts on the ecosystem. This is compounded by the continuous pollution caused by the use of the sea, once common practice, to dump various types of waste. This marine pollution will be addressed by the future national marine strategy.

  Pollution caused by land and sea uses is currently preventing the achievement of good environmental status in the North and Baltic Seas as laid down in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive – a goal that Germany actively supports.

  It is important for the future national marine strategy to focus on protecting seas in their entirety with coordinated land-based and sea-based measures. Marine protection requirements must be integrated into other policy areas in a cross-sector approach to ensure that protection and use are brought into balance. This includes raising awareness of the effects of river-based and atmospheric inputs into seas and taking responsibility for reductions in the case of inland input sources.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 09 Raise awareness of water as a resourceopenclose

  The sustainable protection of water resources and water bodies and the forward-looking development and reorganisation of the water sector will require changes in many areas. These change processes require broad social acceptance, which must be actively sought.

  This acceptance requires a general appreciation of the natural functioning of the water regime and the important role healthy water bodies play in the natural balance, human well-being, health, the food supply and economic and social development as a whole. A sufficient supply of high-quality, clean drinking water at any time is perceived in Germany as an integral component of public services and thus as something that is a given. However, many people are not aware of the natural resources involved in these uses and the effort required to provide drinking water.

  The full value of water must therefore become more prominent in the minds of the public and policymakers. It is vital that water and water body ecosystem services – for example as a habitat – and the services of drinking water supply and wastewater disposal are made transparent for society, valued and appreciated. With a long-term water education and communication campaign (including at schools), the Federal Environment Ministry aims to raise awareness about water-related issues among the general population and specific professional groups.

  Active participatory processes, such as citizen science instruments, are intended to motivate the public to engage with water-related issues. Experiences of nature conservation, fishing and nature-compatible water associations in the area of citizen science will be drawn on.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB) 

• 10 Work together to protect global water resources for the long termopenclose

  According to United Nations projections, the world's population will grow to 9.7 billion by 2050 (and to 10.9 billion by 2100). At the same time, the lifestyles of many people are changing. Both of these trends lead to increased use of water resources. Water demand is set to rise by 55 percent by 2050. Already today, around two billion people live in regions with high water scarcity. Experts believe that this figure will increase sharply in the coming decades. The impacts of climate change are also affecting the availability of and demand for water. In 2050, approximately 70 percent of the world’s population will live in towns and cities. Unless the resulting wastewater is adequately treated, this will place an extreme burden on groundwater and surface waters. According to UN estimates, over 80 percent of wastewater is still discharged into the environment without adequate treatment.

  In addition to bilateral cooperation with partner governments, the German government supports the work of UN organisations on water issues, especially in the contexts of crises, displacement and forced migration – primarily by supporting WASH projects, but also by supporting the efficient use of water in agriculture, especially via UNICEF.

  Germany is committed to improving coordinated access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in the contexts of development cooperation, transitional development assistance and humanitarian aid, at bilateral and multilateral level and also in cooperation with civil society actors. In line with the overarching principle of the 2030 Agenda "Leave no one behind", particular attention will be paid to poor and vulnerable population groups. To this end, water/wastewater will be taken into account as an important issue in the promotion of municipal partnerships, and the potential of operator partnerships will be systematically used in the context of development cooperation.

  Further information (PDF, 2,82 MB)