Water centers to be implemented in Bavaria starting from 2026, according to the latest cabinet decision.
The German state of Bavaria is set to introduce a new water levy known as the "Wassercent" (water cent) starting on July 1, 2026. This levy aims to secure additional funding for water infrastructure renewal and environmental protection.
The levy will apply to water suppliers, public utilities, companies, industrial operations, and users with their own well, but not to individual households. Instead, private households will pay the levy indirectly via their water suppliers.
The cost for each cubic meter of water used will be ten cents, according to the current information available. Based on an average daily consumption of 140 liters per person, the average annual cost for private consumers is estimated to be around five euros per person.
However, the details of how the water cent will be implemented and enforced, including the specifics of the compromise reached between CSU and Free Voters, are not yet specified. The length of the negotiations leading to the compromise on the water cent bill is also not provided in the information.
Criticism of the water cent continues, especially about the unequal treatment in the free allowance regulation of businesses and private households. Agricultural holdings, supply of livestock, use in fisheries, and use for renewable energies such as heat pumps are completely exempt from the water cent levy.
Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) has stated that the aim of the water cent is to better protect the water resource. The controversy over the water cent was long-lasting within the CSU and Free Voters government coalition. In December 2024, both parties in the government coalition could agree on a compromise regarding the water cent.
It is important to note that for detailed and up-to-date specifics, including exact levy rates, exemptions, and detailed impacts on suppliers, official Bavarian government publications or water utility announcements released closer to mid-2026 would provide authoritative information. Until then, the exact impact of the water cent on private households and water suppliers remains to be seen.
The implementation and enforcement details of the "Wassercent" levy, including the precise compromise reached between CSU and Free Voters, are yet to be specified. Individuals in the field of renewable energy, such as those using heat pumps, are exempt from the water cent levy, which is intended to secure funding for water infrastructure and environmental protection.
