- Aiwanger: Water cents exemption for farmers and industry
In the debate surrounding the design of the planned water cent in Bavaria, Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger has advocated for certain consumers to be exempt from the charge. "The farmer or entrepreneur who has their own well and draws water from it should not have to pay anything, as they are not causing any costs for the public," the Free Voter politician told the "Passauer Neue Presse".
Industry, "which might take water from the river for cooling operations," should also not be burdened. Instead, the Free Voters' proposal is to collect a fee X from all water users who are connected to a pipeline and do not have their own well. This would ensure that water suppliers across Bavaria are future-proof, "so that an investor doesn't end up buying them all up," Aiwanger said in the newspaper.
Söder and Glauber: Water cent to come by autumn
The government of CSU and Free Voters had announced at the end of July, after some debates and internal coalition wrangling, that there would be a law introducing a water cent in Bavaria by autumn at the latest. However, many questions still need to be clarified by then, according to Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) and Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters). The two parties are not yet agreed on the concrete design.
The so-called water cent already exists in 13 of the 16 federal states, some for many years. Everyone who pumps water has to pay a fee. The amount varies depending on the state and can be up to around 30 cents per cubic meter. CSU and Free Voters had agreed during the formation of the government at the end of 2023 to introduce a water cent in this legislative period, as had been planned earlier.
The Bavarian Association of Towns and Municipalities criticized Aiwanger's statements. The minister's position is not about municipal concerns, but rather a clear clientelism, namely the exemption of large consumers, said Bavarian Association of Towns and Municipalities President Uwe Brandl (CSU). For the association, the minimum requirements are clear: all water withdrawals, including those of agriculture, should be included in the water cent, measured and controlled. The revenues should be used exclusively and specifically for preventive groundwater protection.
The Bavarian Association of Towns and Municipalities argued against Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger's exemption plan, viewing it as a form of clientelism. Instead, they advocated for all water withdrawals, including agricultural ones, to be included in the water center and the revenues used solely for preventive groundwater protection, which is a municipal concern.
Given the ongoing debates and the need for clarification, the design of the planned water center in Bavaria, as agreed upon by the CSU and Free Voters, remains a topic of discussion among municipalities.
