Berlin's Water Industry
Berlin's complex and technically sophisticated water management system ensures excellent drinking water quality and very clean waterways.
The Berlin water industry is currently undergoing comprehensive modernization to ensure long‑term security of supply and protection of water bodies in the face of climate change, population growth, and declining groundwater recharge. Berlin is placing a strong emphasis on "sponge city" measures: in addition to decentralized solutions such as retention soil filters, graywater recycling, and rainwater harvesting, large underground storage basins are being constructed to reduce combined sewer overflows. At the same time, Berliner Wasserbetriebe is making major investments in treatment plants, networks, and new wells.
With the Master Plan Water, Berlin is pursuing a sustainable strategy to expand infrastructure and resources, including the possible reactivation of former waterworks as well as the construction of additional wells to increase extraction capacities. Berlin and Brandenburg are simultaneously working on a joint Water Strategy 2050 to address regional conflicts over use and the impacts of climate change.
The Berlin water industry, with its strong engineering expertise, is positioned as resilient in ensuring supply and is continuously advancing its systems.
Facts and figures
- Berlin extracts raw water from around 650 wells, operates more than 100 wastewater pumping stations, and maintains a sewer network of about 9,750 km as well as over 1,000 km of pressure pipelines.
- The capital supplies itself with drinking water from regional resources and, after appropriate treatment, returns the wastewater into the local water cycle.
- Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB) is Germany’s largest water supply company and plays an important role in numerous research and development projects.
- The TAUSENDWASSER trade show is Berlin’s leading industry event with national significance.
- The Specialist Congress InfraSPREEis the sector summit and networking meeting for the water industry and technical infrastructure in Berlin and Brandenburg.
- A wide range of innovative medium‑sized companies provide a broad spectrum of technologies.
- Berlin offers a multidisciplinary and internationally oriented research landscape.
- Extensive networking opportunities and excellent cooperation opportunities are available, including with the SME network MARIS Berlin Brandenburg, the Technical University of Berlin, the Berlin Water Competence Center, Berlin Waterworks, the Berlin Rainwater Agency, and others.
Why Berlin?
„As a vibrant metropolis, Berlin offers the ideal combination of international appeal and a strong network in environmental technology.” With our international team, we are developing pioneering solutions here such as solar‑powered water desalination and flake ice production. This location is crucial for Boreal Light GmbH, as it gives us direct access to highly qualified talent and innovative research partners. The city's openness to sustainable technologies enables us to successfully deploy our systems worldwide from Berlin.“
Photo: @Ali_Al-Hakim
Berlin’s Water Industry possesses broad expertise in groundwater management, drinking water supply, wastewater disposal, and rainwater management. In recent years, research results have increasingly been translated into practical applications to advance Berlin on its path toward becoming a sponge city.
Large underground rainwater storage facilities are currently being built, including one beneath Mauerpark, which are intended to reduce combined sewer overflows. New real‑world laboratories such as the evaporation beds in Berlin Tegel are testing climate‑resilient solutions at full scale. In addition, model projects such as cross‑property rainwater use in Preußenpark promote decentralized stormwater management. Through the Blue-Green Alliance, founded in 2025, the Senate Administration, the Water Utilities, BIM, and Grün Berlin are driving forward the implementation of the Sponge City initiative.
Interdisciplinary research
Berlin’s universities and research institutions are key partners for the water industry. At TU Berlin, the research network “Water in Metropolitan Areas” is being continuously further developed. It brings together expertise from five faculties and focuses on topics such as digital water systems, climate adaptation, and urban resilience. New research initiatives such as “Smart Water Networks” focus on sensor-based technologies, data-driven models, and integrated infrastructure planning. At the same time, numerous departments are involved in current projects addressing water loss, urban runoff quality, and extreme weather events.
The Berlin Centre of Competence for Water (KWB) is an internationally renowned hub for applied water research. Since 2025, the new “Water & Risk” research group has expanded the portfolio to include the quantitative assessment of health, environmental, and digital risks in water infrastructure. At the same time, software development was strengthened as a separate focus area and integrated into the “Smart City & Infrastructure” group.
