Germany’s water industry warns of looming use conflicts
Clean Energy Wire
Germany’s drinking water resources are coming under increasing pressure from the sometimes competing demands of households, industry, and agriculture, the water industry said in a report. “These developments are leading to conflicts over use that require close coordination among all stakeholders,” the associations, including energy industry group BDEW and local utilities association VKU, said in the presentation of their 2025 Industry Profile.
The report provides an overview of public water supply, wastewater disposal, and future challenges facing the water industry in Germany. The associations said that the effects of climate change pose a key challenge to Germany’s water industry, requiring it to adapt processes, while also pursuing innovative approaches to support climate protection and the energy transition.
“In addition to groundwater resources, dams and surface waters are also the focus of conflicts over usage,” the report stated. The associations urged the government to enforce the legal priority of the public water supply over other uses during periods of drought. “In view of the growing challenges, considerable investment is needed to maintain and strengthen the performance of the water industry in the long term,” the industry representatives added.
Due to climate change effects, water networks and facilities need to be expanded to secure the water supply during dry periods. At the same time, the risks of flood and heavy rain as well as rising temperatures require increasingly complex technical solutions for infrastructure. Intelligent water management, as well as water retention and water reuse, are increasingly needed in view of climate change, the associations wrote.
Economists have previously called for reforms in water pricing systems in the city of Berlin to better reflect the costs of extracting water. Climate change-related investments in Germany’s water supply are set to increase substantially over the coming years, industry representatives have said.
