Calculate and check your rainwater fee (Niederschlagswassergebühr)
Check in two minutes whether the area on your fee notice (Bescheid) is correct.
Do you live in Bremen? All about the survey form (Erhebungsbogen) and notice from hanseWasser
Calculate your fee
How the rainwater fee is calculated
The rainwater fee pays for the sewer that carries rainwater away from roofs and paved areas. It is not based on your water consumption, but on the area from which rain flows into the public sewer.
The formula is simple: connected area in square metres times the fee rate. Many towns only count part of permeable areas. In Bremen, for example, a green roof only counts at 30 per cent.
| Area | counts at |
|---|---|
| Roof, asphalt, concrete, paving, slabs | 100 % |
| Green roof with at least 5 cm of substrate | 30 % |
| Grass pavers, permeable paving, joint paving, gravel, crushed stone | 30 % |
| Area with a soakaway and overflow to the sewer | 30 % |
| Area connected to a cistern with overflow | minus 20 m² per m³ of storage |
| Area that drains only into the garden | 0 % |
Source: Entwässerungsgebührenortsgesetz der Stadtgemeinde Bremen, § 6. Other towns have their own rules.
A worked example
A house in Bremen with a 120 m² roof and 60 m² of paving pays for 180 m² times €0.83, which is €149.40 a year. If the water from 30 m² of terrace runs onto the lawn and 20 m² of it is permeable paving, only 136 m² count. That is €112.88, or €36.52 less a year.
How it works
- 1Enter the figures from your notice
- 2Answer five questions about your property
- 3See the result and request a free area comparison if needed
What the area comparison report looks like
An example with made-up figures for a house in Bremen. Your report has the same structure.
1. How we measured
- Image source: official aerial photo (digital orthophoto), with the image date
- Ground resolution: for example 20 cm per pixel
- Method: outlines traced on the aerial photo, area in plan view
- Measurement uncertainty: stated for each area
2. Area comparison
| Area | On the notice | Measured | Difference | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roof | 120 m² | 118 m² | 2 m² less | ± 3 m² |
| Paved area | 60 m² | 41 m² | 19 m² less | ± 4 m² |
3. Example sums based on your assumptions
On the notice: 180 m² × €0.83 = €149.40 a year.
Assumption A: all measured areas drain into the sewer. Calculated: 159 m² × €0.83 = €131.97 a year. If this assumption is correct, the calculated difference is €17.43 a year.
Assumption B: the 30 m² terrace does not drain into the sewer. Calculated: 129 m² × €0.83 = €107.07 a year. If this assumption is correct, the calculated difference is €42.33 a year.
4. What the report does not cover
Whether an area legally counts, which values to enter on a form, deadlines, objections and refunds. For those, please contact a lawyer or Haus & Grund.
Questions
What is the rainwater fee?
A fee for the rainwater that flows from your property into the public sewer. People also say Regenwassergebühr or Regensteuer. It is based on the connected area, not on water consumption.
What is rainwater?
Rain, snow and hail that falls on roofs, paths and yards and runs off them.
How is the rainwater fee calculated?
Connected area in square metres times your town’s fee rate. The rate is shown on your notice. In large cities, it ranges from about €0.50 to €2.10 per m² per year.
Who pays the rainwater fee, tenants or landlords?
The owner receives the notice. Landlords may pass the fee on to tenants through the service charge statement.
Does a rain barrel count?
No. A rain barrel is too small and can be removed. Reductions are only available for permanently installed cisterns, and not in every town.
Does a cistern help?
In many towns, yes. In Bremen, 20 m² are deducted from the connected area for each cubic metre of storage if the cistern has an overflow to the sewer. Without overflow, the area does not count at all. In Reinbek, a cistern with overflow does not give a reduction.
Do I have to pay for paving that is not connected to the sewer?
No. Fees only apply to areas from which water reaches the public sewer, including via the street and a drain. If all the water runs into your garden, the area does not count.
What should I do if the area on the notice does not match my property?
Contact the office that sent the notice; in Bremen, that is hanseWasser. It will tell you how, usually with a form or an online portal. For questions on deadlines, objections and refunds, please contact a lawyer or Haus & Grund (the German homeowners’ association). We measure areas and do the sums; we do not give legal advice.
What is in the area comparison report?
The roof and paved areas of your property, measured on official aerial photos, with the image source, image date, method and measurement uncertainty. It also shows the difference in m² from your figures or the notice, and example sums based on assumptions you choose. You decide yourself what you report to your town.