ABSTRACT
In the Federal Republic of Germany, water quality management has been the responsibility of the states under the 1957 framework law. The state of Nordrhein-Westfalen provides financial support in terms of grants to municipalities and water authorities, such as the Genossenschaften, for the construction–but not for operation and maintenance–of water quality management facilities. The following types of facilities are supported: mechanical-biological waste water treatment; stormwater treatment, including retention basins; wastewater and stormwater pumping works; sewer systems; and pressurized pipelines. The assignment of a water body to a certain category is made by the Ministry of Nutrition, Agriculture, and Forestry on the grounds of the importance of the water resource in relation to use. Some criteria for this categorization are shipping potential, water supply, and recreation. Water withdrawal licenses are only issued by the Regierungsprasidium. Discharge permits are given by the Regierungsprasidium in case of a first order river; by a county/county-free city agency for dischargers into second order receiving waters.
