Wiesbaden introduces controversial water cent - court decides in favor of the city!

Wiesbaden introduces controversial water cent - court decides in favor of the city!

The city of Wiesbaden may introduce water consumption tax, also known as the “water cent”, according to a judgment of the Wiesbaden administrative court. This court ruling (file number: 7 K 941/24.Wi) represents a significant turn after the Hessian Ministry of the Interior had previously banned the introduction of tax. The decision that the Wiesbaden city council made in December 2023 with votes from the SPD, Greens, Left and Volt offers the legal basis for the new regulation.

The water consumption tax is calculated at 90 cents per 1,000 liters of drinking water and applies from the first liter. This measure hopes that the city hopes for additional income of around 16 million euros in order to cover an existing budget deficit. In the argumentation of the local supervision, which was against the tax, it was noted that there was no regulation for a water tax in water law and that the city should not make any profits with water fees. Nevertheless, the administrative court rejected these arguments and emphasized the need for water savings, especially against the background of the increasing phases of dryness in recent years, which have also affected everyday irrigation.

legal framework conditions

The judgment is not yet final because an appeal to the Hessian Administrative Court is possible. If the state of Hesse does not appeal, the city council could decide when the water center will actually be collected. The local supervision had also pointed out that low -income households could possibly be disproportionately burdened by tax. However, the administrative court decided that the tax has no "strangled effect" and that vital goods such as drinking water were generally not excluded from taxation.

The city of Wiesbaden was faced with allegations about excessive water prices, which led to a dispute between 2007 and 2011. The conflict was settled out of court in 2025, with repayments of 17.5 million euros being granted to the citizens. In view of this history, the introduction of the water cent is viewed with a certain skepticism, both on the part of the citizens and on the part of the local authority.

a step towards climate adjustment

Climate change contains challenges for the entire water management, not only in Wiesbaden. Developments at the EU level, such as the upcoming amendment to the municipal wastewater policy, focus on the need for effective climate adjustment. Measures to improve water protection and to adapt the water management to the climatic changes are essential to ensure the quality of life of the citizens. The German Association for Water Management, Wastewater and Waste (DWA) calls for a pragmatic implementation of these measures without national tightening

Overall, the Wiesbaden case shows how complex the challenges in the field of water management are and how necessary it is to rely on sustainable solutions. It remains to be seen how the legal disputes develop and what specific steps the city of Wiesbaden will take according to the judgment.

For further information on the water management challenges in the context of climate change, a look at the DWA press formations , that deal with the necessary measures and their financing.