Gewässeraufsicht

• Federal Water Act (WHG)
• Hessian Water Act (HWG)
• Hessian Administrative Costs Act (HVwKostG)
• Administrative Costs Ordinance (VwKostO-MUKLV)

On behalf of the legislator, the water authorities monitor the water bodies as well as compliance with and fulfillment of the requirements under water law. This results in the following tasks for the water authorities, among others:

• Issuing permits and authorizations for the use of water bodies, e.g.
  • Water abstraction from surface waters or groundwater
  • Wastewater discharges into bodies of water
  • Damming of surface waters
  • Geothermal probes
• Issuing of permits, e.g. for
  • waste water treatment plants
  • wastewater discharges into wastewater facilities
  • structural installations in bodies of water, riparian zones and floodplains
• Acceptance of notifications, e.g. for
  • minor water withdrawals from surface waters or groundwater
  • Installations for handling substances hazardous to water
• Granting of exceptions and exemptions from special requirements in water and medicinal spring protection areas
• Planning approval or planning permission for watercourse expansions (creation, removal and significant redesign of a watercourse or its banks)
• Regulatory measures within the framework of water supervision
  

Fees are calculated in accordance with the Hessian Administrative Costs Act (HVwKostG) in conjunction with the Administrative Costs Regulations for the Hessian Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (VwKostO-MUELV).

Unless otherwise specified, the lower water authority is responsible. It is located at the district committee in the districts and at the magistrate in the independent cities. In the cases listed in the WasserZustVO, the upper water authority, which is located at the regional council, is responsible.

Further information can be obtained from the lower water authority.