AGW-NRW

From the Eifel to the Lower Rhine,
from the Sauerland to the Ruhr area:
the member organisations

Member organisations

With around 6000 employees, the eleven member organisations of the agw make a significant contribution to the protection and development of the water landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia. Their tasks range from wastewater treatment and the preservation of biodiversity to the sustainable management of water resources. To this end, they currently operate 282 wastewater treatment plants, 227 flood retention basins, manage 32 reservoirs and 1,799 rainwater treatment plants.

The agw's member associations include the Aggerverband, Bergisch-Rheinischer Wasserverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Erftverband, LINEG, Lippeverband, Niersverband and Ruhrverband, as well as the Wahnbachtalsperrenverband, Wasserverband Eifel-Rur and Wupperverband.

The water associations in NRW are institutions with democratic legitimacy and are committed to solidarity-based, sustainable and holistic water management in the interests of the general public on a public law basis. The majority of the associations are governed by special legislation. As non-profit organisations, they are responsible for the self-administration of water management and act to relieve the state.

Tasks of the associations

Cleaning waste water

- Collecting and transporting wastewater
- Treat waste water
- Utilise residual materials

Develop water bodies

- Restoring streams and rivers to their natural state
- Water runoff, especially during regulate high and low water
- Managing groundwater in mining areas
- Managing water supplies

Securing the drinking water supply

- Raw water for the treatment of drinking water
- Supply treated drinking water
- Provide service water
- Operating dams

Actively shaping the future of water

- Taking a holistic view of projects
- Adapt systems and operating concepts to a changing environment (climate, demographics, land use)
- Integrating water into regional development and planning
- Develop information systems for the public, e.g. geoinformation systems
- Working in partnership with research and teaching
- Consider leisure use and local recreation
- Generating and utilising renewable energies