Drinking Water in Germany: A Case Study of High Quality Drinking Water - Global Drinking Water Management and Conservation - page 272

Fig. 12.10 The drinking water price index compared to inflation from 2000 to 2009 (Reproduced
from ATT et al. 2011 )

as cited in Althoff 2007 ). Factors that affect the costs include (a) the distance from
the area of abstraction to the consumers, (b) the quality of raw water and the costs
for the treatment of drinking water, (c) the connection density of the households and
enterprises provided, and topographic differences that affect the cost of providing
water pipes, (d) the costs for quality control of drinking water, (e) the condition of
the piping system and the necessary costs for repair, operation, and maintenance,
and (f) the additional costs for ensuring water availability (Althoff 2007 ).

12.7.3 Wastewater Disposal

The German wastewater charge has been relatively stable since 2000. Between
2000 and 2009, the wastewater charge index increased by 14 percent (see

Fig. 12.11 ). The rate increase was below the in ation rate of 15.9 percent. In 2005,

using the freshwater standard, the consumer paid an average of 2.28 euros per
cubic meter of wastewater, while under the split charge standard the consumer paid
an average wastewater charge of 2.05 euros per cubic meter and a precipitation
water charge of 0.88 euros per square meter of paved and drained plot area. On
average, in 2005, the charge for collection and treatment of wastewater and pre-
cipitation water was about 10.75 euros per capita per month. Wastewater charges
are regionally very different due to varying conditions such as infrastructure, water
consumption, differences in local topography, demand of rehabilitation, population
density, different basis of calculation, considering the Local Tax Laws of the federal