Water protection areas
City of Aachen
In order to protect water bodies and groundwater from adverse effects in the interests of the public water supply, the responsible water authorities can establish water protection areas (WSG) (Section 51 WHG). In Aachen, the water protection areas have been established by the district government as the responsible higher water authority. There is an individual water protection area ordinance (WSG-VO) for each water protection area. The protected areas are divided into protection zones I, II and III, in which graduated protection measures apply.
The designation of a water protection area can significantly interfere with private rights.
Depending on the protected area zone, prohibitions or restrictions apply to actions that could endanger the groundwater/drinking water. A separate water law permit is required for some measures/actions (see below). Owners or authorized users of land may be obliged to tolerate certain measures (e.g. water or soil monitoring).
The water protection area generally covers the catchment area of the respective water extraction facilities. The closer you get to the extraction well, the greater the risk to drinking water from contamination. For this reason, the water protection areas are divided into 3 zones from the inside to the outside:
| Zone I | encompasses the direct catchment area of the well, i.e. the area in which the groundwater is extracted. All actions are prohibited there, which do not serve the proper operation, maintenance and upkeep of the waterworks and its water extraction facilities or the official monitoring of the water supply and the exercise of water supervision. |
| Zone II | (narrower protection zone) adjoins the catchment area and is defined by means of a so-called 50-day line. From this boundary, the groundwater needs 50 days to reach the area of water extraction. Protection zone II is intended to ensure protection against contamination by micro-organisms that can cause disease (e.g. bacteria, viruses, etc.) and against adverse effects caused by human activities. |
| Zone III | (further protection zone) adjoins Zone II and represents the catchment area. In this area, the groundwater is newly formed, which is pumped in the catchment system. Zone III is intended to ensure protection against far-reaching impairments. These include chemical and radioactive contaminants that are either not degradable at all or only with difficulty. |
In addition to the water protection area ordinances, there are other regulations that deal with the special protection of groundwater in water protection areas or set higher requirements for measures in water protection areas. ATV Code of Practice A 142 - Sewers and wastewater pipes in water catchment areas - should be mentioned here in particular.
Please refer to the respective protected area ordinances for the special prohibition and approval regulations.