Hamburg water presents positive annual balance: drinking water consumption increases!

Hamburg water presents positive annual balance: drinking water consumption increases!

Hamburg, Deutschland - On June 18, 2025, Hamburg Wasser his annual balance for 2024. A positive result: For the first time since 2020 there was an increase in drinking water sales, which was reflected in a sales jump to almost 674 million euros. It is particularly gratifying that around 2.3 million Hamburgers were supplied with a total of 115.7 million cubic meters of drinking water.

It is also noteworthy that despite a wet year, no weather -related influences were to be found on the sales figures. Particularly noteworthy is the profit, which is with 106.2 million euros 3.3%. Compared to the years before, however, there is a stable business. 37.5 million euros were able to flow into the urban budget from the waterworks, while 67.7 million euros went into reserves from the wastewater sector.

investments in the future

Hamburg Wasser is planning investments of around 1.14 billion euros by 2028 to modernize and expand the supply structure. Of these, 616 million euros are planned for water and sewage networks, while 522 million euros should flow into the maintenance of the plants. A future-oriented project has been the new sewage sludge combustion system Vera II, the costs of which rose from originally 196 million euros to EUR 297.2 million. This is particularly important because sewage sludge may no longer be used for agriculture from 2029.

The existing sewage treatment plants Vera I and II are to process around 97,000 tons of sewage sludge every year. This ensures the drinking water supply in Hamburg for the coming decades. The top supply is currently at least 470,000 cubic meters per day; This goal is to be raised to 500,000 cubic meters by 2030.

demographic and climatic challenges

With the increase in the population by around 100,000 inhabitants in the supply area, the challenges of climate change and increasing construction costs must also be taken seriously. The current legal uncertainty with regard to water promotion in the Nordheide endangers the supply of around 300,000 people, since Hamburg has so far only received a "upscale permission". The problems in coordination with the city and authorities remain an important topic of conversation.

It is interesting that the per capita consumption in Hamburg is now 107 liters per day; It was still 135 liters 20 years ago. According to a study, there are annual fluctuations in water consumption, but increased awareness of water savings is noticeable. Ingo Hannemann, Managing Director of Hamburg Wasser, expresses that the study results are helpful in order to better predict consumption fluctuations.

However, whether a long -term trend towards saving water is established remains to be seen. What is certain is that the Hamburgers have reduced their water consumption over the past few years, which is also evident due to modernized habits in the bathroom and garden as well as more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Overall, the annual balance of Hamburg Wasser shows that the company is on a stable course and sets important course for the future in order to be prepared in view of the challenges of the environment and growth.