Drinking water prices in Osnabrück are increasing: that is behind it!

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Osnabrück increases drinking water prices from July 1, 2023 due to infrastructure investments. Average additional costs: 4 euros annually.
Osnabrück increases drinking water prices from July 1, 2023 due to infrastructure investments. Average additional costs: 4 euros annually. (Symbolbild/MND)

From July 1, 2023, Osnabrück will feel a moderate increase in drinking water prices. Stadtwerke Osnabrück increase the price for 1,000 liters of drinking water from 1.99 euros to EUR 2.08 (gross). This increase is necessary to ensure increasing operating costs and the numerous investments in the infrastructure. Tino Schmelzle, Managing Director of SWO Netz, underlines the importance of a reliable drinking water supply and the need for investments to guarantee the quality of care. According to the municipal utilities, the basic price will remain unchanged and the average annual additional burden on single balance with a consumption of 50 m³ increases to around 4 euros, while a family of four (150 m³/year) must expect additional costs of around 13 euros. These increases are moderate compared to other Lower Saxony cities and move in midfield.

How does this price increase come about? The answer is one of the largest infrastructure projects of the municipal utility: "Pro Wasser". This is an investment of over 120 million euros. The measures include the construction of the Thiene waterworks, the construction of new transport lines to Osnabrück and the expansion of a water high tank on Schinkelberg. Such projects are necessary to secure the water supply for the future and to ensure the quality of the drinking water. The municipal utilities rely on the modernization and increase in efficiency of the existing infrastructure in order to meet the growing requirements and maintain the security of supply, as well as the swo netz emphasized.

water quality and future challenges

Tagesschau , new EU guidelines for drinking water supply could lead to further increases in costs in the future. Among other things, these guidelines require strict controls and over -guard measures to improve water quality and reduce pollutants such as microplastics. Karsten Specht, Vice President of the Association of Local Company (VKU), expresses concerns about the high financial requirements that are placed on the water suppliers. In particular, he criticizes the disproportionate requirements that could arise from the new regulation.

The EU directive, which was finally accepted in December 2020, has the goal of improving access to safe drinking water and strengthening the trust of citizens in the drinking water supply. To achieve this, all Member States are required to take measures up to a certain period of time. In this regard, Germany is under pressure to implement its obligations on time because a breach of contract runs. The traffic light coalition also plans further regulations for the catchment areas of drinking water extraction.

The increasing drinking water prices in Osnabrück are therefore not only the result of local infrastructure investments, but also part of a greater interplay of legal requirements and the need to ensure high water quality. What does your opinion look like about 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 in the quality of your drinking water.

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OrtOsnabrück, Deutschland
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