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Drinking water prices in Osnabrück are rising: That's what's behind it!
Osnabrück will increase drinking water prices from July 1, 2023 due to infrastructure investments. Average additional costs: 4 euros annually.
Drinking water prices in Osnabrück are rising: That's what's behind it!
From July 1, 2023, Osnabrück will feel a moderate increase in drinking water prices. Osnabrück municipal utilities are increasing the price for 1,000 liters of drinking water from 1.99 euros to 2.08 euros (gross). This increase is necessary to ensure rising operating costs and the numerous investments in infrastructure. Tino Schmelzle, Managing Director of SWO Netz, emphasizes the importance of a reliable drinking water supply and the need for investments to guarantee the quality of supply. According to the municipal utilities, the basic price will remain unchanged and the average annual additional burden for a single household with a consumption of 50 m³ will rise to around 4 euros, while a family of four (150 m³/year) will have to expect additional costs of around 13 euros. These increases are moderate compared to other cities in Lower Saxony and are in the middle range.
How does this price increase come about? The answer lies in one of the municipal utilities’ largest infrastructure projects: “PROWasser”. This is an investment of over 120 million euros. The measures include, among other things, the new construction of the Thiene waterworks, the construction of new transport pipelines to Osnabrück and the expansion of an elevated water tank on Schinkelberg. Such projects are necessary to secure the water supply for the future and to guarantee the quality of drinking water. The municipal utilities are focusing on modernizing and increasing the efficiency of the existing infrastructure in order to meet growing requirements and maintain security of supply SWO network emphasized.
Water quality and future challenges
The EU directive, which was finally adopted in December 2020, aims to improve access to safe drinking water and increase citizens' trust in drinking water supplies. To achieve this, all Member States are required to take action within a certain period of time. In this regard, Germany is under pressure to implement its commitments on time as infringement proceedings are ongoing. The traffic light coalition is also planning further regulations for the catchment areas for drinking water production.
The rising drinking water prices in Osnabrück are not only the result of local infrastructure investments, but also part of a larger interplay of legal requirements and the need to ensure high water quality. What are your thoughts on the upcoming changes? We invite you to think about how the price of water could be structured in the future and what demands you have on the quality of your drinking water.