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Wastewater disposal - apply for or display decentralised disposal of rainwater

If you want to dispose of rainwater decentrally on your own property, you need a permit under water law .
This is only possible without a permit in certain cases.

property owners - companies must the the rainwater.

If a property is not connected to the sewerage system, you must dispose of rainwater if this is possible with reasonable effort and without causing damage,

  • through local infiltration or
  • local discharge into an above-ground body of water

disposalidrainage.

Prerequisite

You require a permit

  • in the catchment area (Zone I) and in the narrower protection zone (Zone II) of water protection and source protection areas,
  • on areas of harmful soil changes, suspected areas, contaminated sites and sites suspected of being contaminated within the meaning of the Federal Soil Protection Act and
  • for rainwater from copper, zinc or lead-covered roofs that have not been coated or treated in a similar way.

The harmless decentralised disposal of rainwater does not require a permit in the following cases:

  • Rainwater accumulates on the following areas:
    • Roof surfaces
      Exception: Roof surfaces in commercial areas and industrial areas as well as special areas withcomparable uses
    • paved property areas
      Exception:areas used forcommercial, craft andindustrial purposes
    • public roads that serve as local roads for the development of residential areas and public roads outside the built-up area
      Exception: carriageways and car parks of roads with more than two lanes
    • restricted public paths and footpaths and cycle paths that are part of a public road
  • They infiltrate the water into the groundwater over a large area or in troughs on vegetated ground at least 30 centimetres thick.
  • The decentralised disposal of rainwater is provided for in building planning or building regulations.

You must report the unauthorised discharge of rainwater,

  • if it comes from paved or built-up areas of more than 1,200 square metres and
  • the water authority has not already become aware of the project in other procedures.

Exceptions are possible.

Responsible department

the lower water authority

The lower water authority is

  • if your project is located in an urban district: the city administration
  • if your project is located in a rural district: the district office

Procedure

You must apply in writing to the responsible authority for a permit for the decentralised disposal of rainwater.

You must also submit the notification of a permit-free discharge of precipitation water in writing to the competent authority.

Deadlines

None

Required documents

  • Explanatory report (description of the project according to type, scope, purpose, information, e.g. on the roof covering)
  • Overview site plan
  • Dimensioning of the infiltration system in accordance with DWA worksheet A 138
  • Determination of the water quantities, stating
    • the design rainfall
    • the area sizes and
    • Type of surface stabilisation
  • Site plan showing the drainage including the infiltration systems or the discharge to the watercourse
  • Detailed drawing of the infiltration system (cross-section with structure of the soil layers and indication of the average or highest groundwater level) or sectional drawing of the discharge point into the watercourse (discharge structure)

Further documents may be required in individual cases.

Costs

  • according to administrative costs and
  • Your economic or other interest

Miscellaneous

In principle, the municipalities are responsible for wastewater disposal.

Persons who produce wastewater must hand it over to the municipalities.

Appeal

none

Legal basis

Gesetz zur Ordnung des Wasserhaushalts (WHG)

  • § 8 Erlaubnis, Bewilligung
  • § 9 Benutzungen
  • § 13 Inhalts- und Nebenbestimmungen der Erlaubnis und der Bewilligung
  • § 46 Absatz 2 Erlaubnisfreie Benutzungen des Grundwassers
  • § 54 und Abs. 1 und 2 Begriffsbestimmungen für die Abwasserbeseitigung
  • § 55 Abs.1 und 2 Grundsätze der Abwasserbeseitigung
  • § 56 Pflicht zur Abwasserbeseitigung

Wassergesetz für Baden-Württemberg (WG)

  • § 46 Verpflichtung zur Abwasserbeseitigung

Verordnung des Umweltministeriums über die dezentrale Beseitigung von Niederschlagswasser

Release note

Machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 12.09.2024