Water law permit - construction projects in groundwater

In the course of a construction project, there may be interventions in the groundwater for which a permit under water law is required.

Description

Interventions relevant to water law include, for example

  • Pumping out and thus lowering groundwater to drain an excavation pit and discharging the extracted water back into the groundwater.
  • Temporary or permanent damming up and possibly also lowering of groundwater due to a building structure or the enclosure of a building pit.
  • Introduction of substances into the groundwater (buildings or building materials such as foundations, building materials, bored piles, sheet piling, injections).

The resulting construction water (groundwater and rainwater in the excavation pit) must be discharged back into the near-surface subsoil via absorption wells or soakaways after passing through a settling basin to settle fine particles.

Discharge into the municipal sewer or into surface waters (such as municipal streams, rivers and lakes) is not desirable and is only authorised in very well-founded individual cases.

The water law permit from the Department of Climate and Environmental Protection is required in addition to the building permit from the local building commission or a permit from the Munich Municipal Drainage Department!

Required documents

All documents are required on paper in quadruplicate and also digitally in accordance with our information sheet.

NEW:
As part of the application documents, calculations on the height and range of the groundwater accumulation resulting from the construction project must also be submitted. Proof must be provided that no detrimental situation will arise for existing neighbouring buildings. If necessary, the planned measures to reduce the water build-up must be presented.

Duration & Costs

Processing time

Up to several months (depending on complexity, scope of testing and required procedure).

Fees

100 euros to 7,000 euros, depending on the pumping and seepage volume and the duration of the permit, among other things

Payment methods available

Legal basis

Sections 8 to 15 of the Water Resources Act
Article 15 and Article 70 of the Bavarian Water Act

Landeshauptstadt München

Referat für Klima- und Umweltschutz
Sachgebiet Wasserrecht

Internet

Postal address

Landeshauptstadt München
Referat für Klima- und Umweltschutz
Sachgebiet Wasserrecht

Bayerstraße 28a
80335 München

Address

Bayerstraße 28a
80335 München

Accessibility

  • Not available:Barrier-free access
  • Not available:Disabled parking

All citizens' offices (4th floor) are barrier-free.

Related services

Completion of the replacement planting

If you have felled a tree, a replacement planting may be required as compensation. The completion of this replanting must be reported.

Report tree damage (during construction work)

If trees are damaged without authorisation, owners or polluters can be obliged to restore or plant replacement trees.

Water permit - heat pump/ cooling system from 50kW

Anyone who extracts or infiltrates groundwater via a well and uses it to operate a groundwater heat pump or cooling system requires a water licence.

Tree felling - protected landscape areas

If you want to cut down a tree or make other changes to a tree in a landscape conservation area, you must submit an application.

Water law permit - rainwater infiltration in water protection areas

A permit under water law is required for the extensive infiltration of rainwater into the subsoil in a water protection area.

Drilling indicator well - heat pump/ cooling system up to 50kW

Drilling for the construction of extraction and absorption wells for groundwater heat pumps or cooling systems must be notified in good time before drilling work begins.

Water law permit - geothermal probe/ geothermal collector

A permit under water law is required for the construction of a geothermal system (probe, collector, baskets or similar) with groundwater contact.

Drilling indicator well - heat pump/ cooling system from 50kW

Drilling for the construction of extraction and absorption wells for groundwater heat pumps or cooling systems must be notified in good time before drilling work begins.

Advice on the ecological criteria catalogue

If you want to build on a municipal property, you must comply with the ecological criteria catalogue of the City of Munich. We can advise you on this.

Drilling and working in groundwater

Work that penetrates so deeply into the ground that groundwater could be encountered must be reported at least one month before the planned start of work.