Wastewater; payment of drainage contributions

You co-finance the construction and provision of a public drainage facility in accordance with the solidarity principle by making contributions to the public drainage system.

The local contribution and fee statutes to the drainage statutes (BGS/EWS) stipulate that property owners who have the option of connecting their property to a public drainage facility must generally pay (one-off) production contributions. They thus participate in the financing of this facility according to the solidarity principle (every owner in the facility area is involved).

The amount of the contribution is often based on the size of the property and floor area; a certain contribution rate specified in the BGS/EWS is payable per^m2 of such areas. However, it is also common to calculate the contribution based on the plot area and the floor area permitted for the plot under building law. The contribution rate is usually calculated on the basis of a so-called global calculation. In this calculation, all costs incurred are summarized and mathematically allocated to the total of the existing and expected property and floor areas.

In the course of constructing such a public facility, municipalities also have the option of demanding so-called advance payments from the property owners prior to completion, e.g. in order to reduce the municipal borrowing required for the construction measures. Advance payments are offset against the final settlement (final production contribution) after completion of the construction work.

It should also be noted that a municipality can also levy so-called improvement contributions after the initial construction of a facility if, for example, it has modernized or upgraded the long-standing facility.

Please contact your local authority for more information on the specific local regulations.

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