Enhanced Water Regulation Promotes Water Safety - Rising Charges Implemented - Enacted water legislation toughens water safeguards - water fees hike enforced
In a response to climate change and rising groundwater pollution, the state government of Schwerin has initiated a fundamental reform of the state water law. The reform, which affects water protection, water use, and coastal protection, aims to ensure the quality of drinking water and promote sustainable farming practices.
Under the proposed amendment, farmers will have to pay for the water they use to irrigate their fields, a practice already common in other states. However, effective drip irrigation and frost protection irrigation in fruit cultivation are excluded from the fee. The fee for surface water will be 2 cents per cubic meter, and for groundwater, it will be 6 cents. The water extraction fee will increase from 10 to 20 cents per cubic meter.
The new requirement is met with protests from agricultural operations, particularly due to the additional costs involved. For households, the fee increase is expected to result in a moderate increase in the water price from 2027, with an average family expected to pay about 15 euros more per year.
The bill includes a sustainability requirement for farmers to protect groundwater and surface waters. Deep plowing and fertilization, as well as the application of plant protection agents, are prohibited in five-meter-wide watercourse strips. However, concrete regulations on peat protection are missing in the proposed amendment.
The money collected from the fee increase will be fully dedicated to water protection. The revenue from the fee increase is expected to rise from the current 11 million to approximately 21 million euros per year.
The planned amendment faces criticism in the state parliament, particularly for the additional costs involved, particularly for agricultural operations and private households. The Greens find the changes insufficient, stating that the bill is a small band-aid on a wound that requires comprehensive surgery.
Despite the ongoing debates, the urgent need for action on the issue of water retention in the landscape, with target values or deadlines, is still lacking in the proposed amendment. The bill does not include concrete regulations on peat protection, which is a concern for environmentalists and policymakers alike.
The reform, if passed, will mark a significant step towards sustainable water management in Schwerin, addressing the challenges posed by climate change and groundwater pollution. The final outcome of the amendment, however, remains to be seen as it navigates through the state parliament.
- The community policy in Schwerin, aiming to address the challenges posed by climate change and groundwater pollution, now includes an employment policy requiring farmers to pay for the water they use for irrigation, following the state government's fundamental reform of the state water law.
- In the proposed amendment, there is an emphasis on environmental-science, as deep plowing and fertilization, as well as the application of plant protection agents, are prohibited in five-meter-wide watercourse strips to protect groundwater and surface waters.
- Among the criticisms of the proposed amendment, finance plays a significant role, with concerns raised about the additional costs involved, particularly for agricultural operations and private households, in the increased water extraction fee.
