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Apply for a permit for the direct discharge of pre-treated wastewater from small wastewater treatment plants into bodies of water


If you want to discharge pre-treated wastewater from a small wastewater treatment plant into a body of water, you need a permit under water law.

A small wastewater treatment plant is a wastewater treatment plant from which less than eight cubic meters per day of wastewater from households and similar wastewater is discharged.

The wastewater from the small wastewater treatment plant can seep away or be discharged into an above-ground body of water.

Surface waters are rivers, lakes, canals, streams, ditches and ponds.

The permit specifies the type and extent of use. It may be subject to conditions and ancillary provisions. In contrast to a permit, a license can be revoked by the authorities.

  • Application form
  • Documents for the small wastewater treatment plant (depending on availability)
    • Declaration of performance, building authority approval
    • Drawings, dimensioning documents
    • Proof of tightness
    • Maintenance logs
  • For infiltration
    • Proof of infiltration
    • Hydrogeological report
    • Illustration, dimensioning documents of the infiltration system
  • For discharge into a surface water body
    • Hydrological report
    • Statement and consent of the watercourse owner or person responsible for maintenance
  • Site plan, extract from cadastral map
  • Construction drawings
  • Consent of affected property owners
  • Landscape conservation plan, if applicable
  • Technical contribution to the Water Framework Directive, if applicable
  • The requirements specified in the Waste Water Ordinance are complied with.
  • The discharge is compatible with the requirements for water characteristics and other legal requirements.

You can apply for a permit to discharge pre-treated wastewater from a small wastewater treatment plant into a body of water from your local water authority. The general procedure is as follows:

  • Send your application for a permit with the required documents to the responsible water authority.
  • This
    • checks that your application and documents are complete and contacts you if any information or documents are missing,
    • examines your application from a water management and water law perspective and involves other authorities if necessary.
  • You will receive
    • a permit or
    • a rejection notice
  • You will also receive a fee notice.
  • You pay the fee.

The processing time depends in particular on the quality and scope of your application and the documents.

There is no statutory deadline. Apply for the permit in good time before starting your project.

Contradiction

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)