Hamburg: Water saving by water consumption control

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Country:

a) Western Europe

b) Germany

Language:
Type:	Policy, Concept, 1
Area:	City/Town, > 1 million
Actors:	Local government
Funding:	Local government, Economic Sector
Topics:	Sewage and waste water
	Water
Objectives:	Improve environmental efficiency
	Increase public awareness
	Reduce water consumption
Instruments:	Demonstration and pilot project
	Public participation

Abstract:

Since the mid-1980s water saving policy has had get a high priority on the agenda of the Hamburg water company. The benefits of efficient use of drinking water in households has been promoted mainly by the introduction of water meters for dwellings. It has been demonstrated that potential savings in water consumption can amount to 15 % on average with conventional water metering devices and up to 25 % if the new meter is supplemented with additional water saving devices. The Hamburg water saving policy can be regarded as best practice for the following reasons:

• strategic planning in water management
• conducting an extensive demonstration project;
• continuous improvement in technical standards;
• adaptation of water supply and building regulations according to water saving policy;
• promotion of information campaigns on water saving.

Concept and aims

In Hamburg the supply of drinking water is exclusively managed by the Hamburg Water Company, the Hamburger Wasserwerke (HWW). It supplies the City of Hamburg, 20 surrounding municipalities and seven water distributors with drinking water. In total 1,972,000 people get their water from HWW.

Drinking water is solely drawn from ground water via 500 wells. Conditioning and distribution is handled by 19 waterworks of which four are in the neighbouring Länder state of Schleswig Holstein and another two in the state of Lower Saxony. The supply lines total 5,465 kilometres.

In 1986 the goals and tasks of Hamburg drinking water management had been stated in a strategic concept for the safeguarding of sustainable water supply („Handlungskonzept zur dauerhaften Sicherung der Trinkwasserversorgung“). Two approaches have been chosen to secure the availability of drinking water:

1. Ground water resources should be safeguarded against geogene and anthropogene influences.
2. Economic use of drinking water is designed to ensure the sustainability of water resources.

According to the results of long-term observations ground water is expected to be subject to health risks in some areas of the HWW areas. In consequence, the economic use of drinking water has a high priority in the water company's policy. Together with the use of high degree of extraction flexibility via an interconnection system the reduction of demand has been established as a promising field of action. Due to the high proportion of private households in total water consumption, effective utilisation of water saving potential can led to a reduction of per capita consumption. The installation of water meters in dwellings is regarded as an appropriate instrument to stimulate water saving and more economical use. In particular in multiple dwellings equipping of apartments with water meters is fundamentally important in changing consumption behaviour.

However, in order to implement its water saving strategy the HWW had to put into practice a number of actions:

• A demonstration project was started which was designed to reveal the potential effects of the new policy.
• A technical standard for the best possible regulation of individual water consumption had to be established.
• Laws and regulations for billing water consumption and for housing costs have to be changed or amended.

Implementation

As early as 1985 the installation of water meters in aprtments (Wohnungswasserzähler WWZ) had been considered as the most effective measure in the area of private households. Therefore, the activities concentrated on the above mentioned sphere of a demonstration project, testing installation devices, and amending of legal regulations.

The Hamburg Water Saving Demonstration Project

Between 1986 and 1989 the HWW in co-operation with the city’s environmental authority conducted a test case study in a local area. Installation costs for the new equipment were covered by the municipal authority. Approximately 1,400 households participated in the research project. Nearly half of the households belong to a public housing company, whilst 32 % of the targeted households are part of housing co-operatives and the remaining 18 % are owned by various private lessors. The aims of the project were to carry out consumption activities with water meters alone, and with water meters and water-saving devices, to demonstrate the bill for actual water consumption to the individual tenant, and to investigate the effects of water consumption with and without special water-saving advice and information.

After the three year period an evaluation was made for 967 households ( 560 with water meters alone and 407 with water meters and water saving devices) in tenant rented dwellings where consumption data prior to and after the installation of the water meters was available.

Changes in water consumption in the Hamburg demonstration project

The results, an average saving rate of 15 % with water meters alone, and an even better average saving rate of 25 % in households with additional water saving techniques, revealed the high potential of possible drinking water consumption and, in consequence, the HWW and the City of Hamburg opted for an introduction of water meters in the entire distribution area.

Technical standards for extensive introduction of water meters for dwellings

In Hamburg the extensive introduction of water meters started in 1990. Two technical solutions have been put into practice. In new buildings installation does not involve any problems as it can be achieved in combination with the design of the pipe laying. Owners can either opt for an integrated solution or a surface solution with single pipe connectors. Water meter installation consists of a measuring device and an installation device which represent a single unit according to the German calibration law. As a measuring device the Hamburg water works choose a calibrated capsule with a capacity of Qn 1.5 m3/h and DN 50 connecting thread for single-pipe connectors (Einrohransatzstücke EAS) or alternatively valve connectors (Ventilanschlußstücke VAS) which consist of an impeller multi-jet meter for coaxial flow with magnetic clutch and a roller-type meter. The installation device is either EAS for flush or surface mounting or VAS for the later equipment in existing flats. The single-pipe and valve connectors are part of the housing installation system and therefore owned by the lessor. The measuring capsules for cold and warm water are the property of the HWW. As many water meters are introduced in existing housing stocks the company had to co- operate with meter manufacturers in order to develop a new technique which the volume flow to be supplied to the individual hydrant via a measuring instrument.. As a result the existing stop valve for the flats is dismounted and replace by a VAS with an integrated stopping device which receives a measuring capsule. In consequence, conversion can take place without breaking into walls and without too high additional costs.

Amendments of water and rent laws and regulations

The feasibility of water consumption measurement and individual billing for private households required amendment of the existing rent laws as well as water supply contracts. A fundamental change took place in the water supply regulations. Previously the water company could only enter into contracts with the owner of the property who acted as a subscriber and customer for water supply. Nowadays the tenant as the end consumer has an individual contract with the water company if his flat is equipped with a water meter. Due to the liability of the land owner with regard to sewerage charges there was some initial resistance against individual billing of water consumption. Therefore, the Hamburg municipality had to amend the law on sewer charges. Under the new statutes a tenant in a multiple dwelling automaticall become a debtor of the fees via a water supply contract.

Furthermore the policy of introducing of water meters received new impetus by amendments in the area of building regulations. According to the Building Regulations of Hamburg the installation of water meters is obligatory. These regulations affect new buildings as well as existing housing stocks. For new buildings and modernisation work the regulations came into force on January 1st 1987 and for existing housing an amendment had been made on September 1st 1994 which obliges owners to put the conversion into practice within a ten year transition period by the year 2004. For owner-occupied flats the current regulation stipulates a unanimous resolution of the condominium owners´ association. However, it is expected that until the year 2004 this regulation will be revised in order to enable agreement on conversion by majority vote.

As far as multiple dwellings are concerned the regulations have been amended by national standardised regulations which mostly came into force in 1992 and 1993 (the Law on the level of rent, the second Ordinance regulating the calculation of rent and the Ordinance regulating rents of new buildings). In particular the following new statutes affect tenants and lessors of multiple dwellings:

• Installation of a water meter is regarded as a modernisation measure.
• Costs for the installation of meters can be charged according to existing regulations for council housing or for privately financed housing. In consequence, the costs can be covered by an increase in the annual rent by 11% of all expenses incurred for each flat.
• Tenants have to accept the conversion in so far as this is reasonable. The scope for action is regulated by the German Civil Code.
• The lessor has the right to decide that water and sewerage costs should be billed via the meters.
• The lessor has the right to decide that the water and sewerage costs should be billed directly between the tenant and the water company.
• In council houses the existing meters have to be used for billing water and sewage costs.
• However, the leasing costs of meters can be included in the operating costs for council houses.

As these statutes are national regulations they apply to each municipality and can be incorporated into water supply and building regulations.

Results and Impacts

Since carrying out the demonstration project, testing technical prerequisites, and changes in the legal framework, the Hamburg practice of billing per flat has been widely accepted as the annual results in the 1990s underline. In 1995 40,625 new water meters have been installed which raised the total to 153,413. This has been the high point of a steady policy to promote individual water metering.

Results of the water meter policy in Hamburg 1988 - 1995

In 1995 the Hamburg water saving campaign was extended to a number of measures:

• Public relations activities took place at three fairs and 17 exhibitions.
• Two editions of the customer information paper were distributed to 770,000 households. Each magazine contains detailed information on water saving techniques.
• In further education for teachers water saving issues were part of the curriculum in 80 cases.
• The stationary information centre moved to a more centralised location. In addition, the "Water Saving Bus" was replaced by a new model with updated equipment in 1996.

Actors and Structures

The HWW exclusively manages the supply of drinking water for the City of Hamburg, 20 surrounding municipalities, and seven water distributors. The company has a staff of 1,835. In 1995 the annual ground water production amounted to 140.9 million m3 (compared to 142.6 in 1994). Total water consumption in 1995 was 132,4 million m3 (compared to 133.2 million m3 in 1994). In 1995 the company established a subsidiary company, the Hamburg pool company (Bäderland Hamburg) which runs 23 public pools. In addition, the company is involved in consulting matters in the field of water management and redevelopment of contaminated water sites via a subsidiary company Consulaqua. Further water supply activities are carried out in co-operation with power supply company Schleswag from the neighbouring Land of Schleswig Holstein. Both companies founded Holsteiner Wasser GmbH in 1993 which implemented a new water supply system in the regional area Pinneberg north of Hamburg.

Finance

By the year 2004 the installation of each water meter attracted by a financial bonus of 100 DM. Up to 1992 the funding was paid by the city government and thereafter the Hamburg water company gives its customers financial support. Up to 1995 the total support amounted to 5.5 million DM.

Source of Information

Arthur Schröder 1996: Installation of domestic water meters in dwellings - control instruments for the consumption, in: EA.UE, (ed.), Water-saving Strategies in Urban Renewal - European Approaches, pp.95-100

Hamburger Wasserwerke GmbH 1996: Geschäftsbericht 1996

Contact:

Cities:

Hamburg:

The city of Hamburg is located in the north of Germany on the river Elbe near the North Sea. The City covers an area of 746 square kilometres. Its full name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Hamburg is the second busiest seaport in Europe and a major commercial, industrial, and cultural centre. Since 1937 the city has been coextensive with, and the capital of, the Federal state of Hamburg. Beside seaport-related and commercial activities the city's economic base are shipbuilding and repair as well as industrial production in the sectors of refined petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, metal goods, and processed foods. In addition, Hamburg is a traditional site for printing and publishing. Furthermore it is a leading centre for radio and television broadcasting and film production. Hamburg has a university, institutes of medicine, and a school of marine architecture.

Population:

Project was added at 27.02.1998
Project was changed at 27.02.1998