From the Blue Community / Blue City of Hamburg, Germany:
Annual Press Conference 2025:
Drinking water sales in Hamburg rise slightly for the first time since 2020.
Groundwater levels are normal thanks to the previous year’s rainfall.
HAMBURG WASSER reports a profit of 106.2 million.
Daily peak output of the waterworks is to be increased to 500,000 cubic metres.
HAMBURG WASSER calls for greater coordination in civil engineering and faster building permits.
The public water supply is facing growing challenges, including climate change, rising construction costs, new legal requirements, and limited resources, all of which require forward-looking planning and reliable framework conditions. At its annual press conference today, HAMBURG WASSER highlighted key areas for action.
In her welcoming address, Hamburg’s Second Mayor and Senator for the Environment, Katharina Fegebank, emphasised the importance of municipal water systems: ‘A secure water supply and disposal system is one of the great achievements of modern cities, and Hamburg can build on a strong tradition in this area.’ However, in view of climate change, demographic change and dwindling resources, we are facing major challenges. It is encouraging to see that HAMBURG WASSER is setting an example with its clear direction and sense of responsibility.”
A major effort is being made to ensure security of supply.
HAMBURG WASSER expects total annual consumption and peak daily demand to rise until 2030 and beyond. To guarantee security of supply under these conditions, the company plans to systematically increase the maximum daily output of its waterworks from around 460,000 to 500,000 cubic metres per day. This expansion will be achieved within the existing infrastructure, without the construction of new plants.
The Stellingen waterworks is a prime example of Hamburg Wasser’s efforts to increase efficiency and make optimal use of existing water rights. ‘We are currently modernising it while it remains in operation. The measures include installing new filters, which will increase the daily treatment capacity by 50 per cent to 18,000 cubic metres. In addition, we are integrating a system for recovering filter rinse water, which will enable us to return around 100,000 cubic metres of water to the treatment process each year,” explains Dr Michael Beckereit, Technical Director and Spokesperson for the Management Board of HAMBURG WASSER. “This will enable us to increase performance and efficiency without building new plants.”
Security of supply requires legal certainty.
A key issue remains the ongoing legal dispute over water extraction in the Nordheide region. Although the Lüneburg Administrative Court has confirmed the environmental compatibility of the requested extraction volume, HAMBURG WASSER has only been granted an ‘enhanced permit’ – a weaker water right that is easier to revoke. ‘The Nordheide secures the supply for around 300,000 Hamburg residents. We urgently need legal certainty here, especially during dry periods,’ emphasises Beckereit. The appeal was lodged three and a half years ago, yet a hearing date has still not been set.
Investment priorities are restricted by external requirements.
Around one third of investments in the pipeline network go towards so-called follow-up measures, such as road construction, local transport projects, and other infrastructure construction sites. These measures are sometimes carried out regardless of the technical condition of the pipelines. ‘Through increased cooperation and coordination, we have reduced the proportion of these externally triggered measures to 30 per cent. To optimally align the diverse infrastructure measures in Hamburg with our operational priorities, further coordination with the relevant authorities, districts, and pipeline operators is necessary,’ says Michael Beckereit.
Key figures for the 2024 financial year:
In 2024, around 2.3 million people were supplied with 115.7 million cubic metres of drinking water. The volume of treated wastewater amounted to 183.4 million cubic metres. Revenue rose to 673.5 million euros. Consolidated net income amounted to 106.2 million euros. Based on the annual financial statements of the individual companies, net income of 37.7 million euros was generated for the waterworks. This will be transferred to the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The surplus from the wastewater business, totalling 66.7 million euros, will be allocated to the company’s reserves. This will enable us to finance the major investments we have ahead of us in the wastewater sector, ensuring a sustainable future for our city,” explains Commercial Director Dr Frank Herzog.
Background information and additional images are available here
