Earthworks must be reported to the responsible water authority one month before they begin if they penetrate more than 10 metres into the ground or could affect the groundwater.
As soon as earthworks reach so deep that they penetrate the aquifer, a permit under water law is required. This is regularly the case for boreholes for geothermal probes, groundwater heat pumps, (percussion) wells and groundwater measuring points. If the competent authority determines that a permit under water law is required for the notified work, the notification is deemed to be an application for the required permit under water law.
For the following purposes, you can also notify earthworks and boreholes online or apply for a permit:
- Exploration of the subsoil
- Foundation and securing of excavation pits (e.g. sheet piling, pile foundations, vibratory tamping columns)
- Utilisation of geothermal energy: geothermal probe; groundwater heat pump; geothermal collector
- Wells and groundwater measuring points
- Impact wells for allotment garden irrigation
- Investigation of contaminated sites
If you wish to operate a groundwater heat pump, you can also apply for the necessary water law permit for groundwater extraction and re-injection with this application. Otherwise, you will need a separate permit for groundwater extraction. Groundwater abstraction can also be applied for online, but no additional authorisation for groundwater abstraction is required when applying for a percussion well for allotment garden irrigation in small quantities, as long as there is no risk of significant adverse effects on the water balance.