Environmental law

 

In Denmark, nearly all drinking water is abstracted directly from the groundwater, whereas only a small part of the drinking water is derived from surface water. Raw water for the water supply is abstractable from the groundwater practically all over Denmark and normally, groundwater will be abstracted from the underground water-bearing lime strata. The groundwater in the lime strata is usually sufficiently clean to be used as drinking water following a mere filtration.

 

Waterworks are located across the country. The waterworks are primarily owned by municipalities, but Danish water supply legislation also allows for the establishment of private waterworks. Sparsely populated rural districts have private abstractions as well, but they are discontinued as the supply of drinking water to the property from a privately or publicly owned waterworks becomes possible.

 

Danish water supply legislation provides for obtaining permission for establishing one’s own water abstraction at one’s own site, but such a permission will usually be granted only if no connection to any waterworks is possible or if other exceptional circumstances apply.

 

As a general rule, any owner whose property is situated within the natural supply area of a waterworks is entitled to be supplied with water against payment for the water consumption, the operating expenses of the waterworks, etc. The payment will be in accordance with the metered consumption at a rate per cubic metre fixed by the waterworks to cover the costs of the waterworks for the treatment of raw water.

 

As groundwater is in Denmark used for drinking water production, Denmark has introduced special regulations to protect areas of special drinking water interests. Those regulations allow authorities to lay down special requirements for the operation of business activities in as well as the general use of the areas in question for the purpose of preventing groundwater contamination in the areas affording drinking water resources.