The Cologne district government keeps a public register, the so-called water book. All permanent water rights are entered in this water register. The Cologne district government will provide information about the entries on request.
The water book contains the following entries:
- Permits and authorizations for use under water law (e.g. for wastewater discharges, for water impoundment, for groundwater extraction)
- Corresponding old rights and powers maintained
- Water law planning approval decisions and planning permits
- Water protection areas
- Floodplains
- Medicinal spring protection areas
- water maintenance obligations that deviate from the general statutory regulations and
- Compulsory rights - these are certain obligations to tolerate (e.g. to tolerate a water pipe or a sewer) imposed on the basis of the State Water Act
Unlike entries in the land register, entries in the water register do not have any legal or formative effect. The existence, content and scope of a permit or a right are therefore based on the respective water law notice and any amendment, supplement or addendum notices issued in this regard, as well as the relevant statutory provisions. The documents are submitted by the Lower Water Authority of the City of Aachen and all other water authorities in the Cologne administrative district to the Cologne District Government for inclusion in the water register.
All interested parties may inspect the water register or request information from it - even without proof of a legitimate interest. However, the Cologne district government will only grant access to or provide information on documents containing company, business or other secrets with the consent of the holder of the rights.
To ensure speedy processing, the request should be submitted in writing and contain the information required to identify or narrow down the request. For example, the name and address of the holder of the right, the name of the body of water where the right is located, the location (district, parcel, plot) or the content of the right (geothermal probes, discharge, extraction or damming).