DWA
DWA is Germany's independent, non-profit professional association for sustainable water, wastewater, and waste management, serving approximately 14,000 members across municipalities, engineering firms, authorities, and universities. It develops the industry-leading DWA-Regelwerk technical standards, specialized engineering software, journals, and certification training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersHennef, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DWA does
DWA (Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e. V.) is a politically and economically independent, registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein under §21 BGB, registered at Amtsgericht Siegburg VR 3562) headquartered in Hennef, Germany. Founded in 1949, it is the largest association in Europe for the water, wastewater, and waste sector, with approximately 14,000 personal and corporate members drawn from municipal utilities, engineering consultancies, federal and state authorities, research institutions, and water-sector companies. The organization also operates seven regional state associations (Landesverbände) covering Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Mitte, Nord, Nord-Ost, Nordrhein-Westfalen, and Sachsen/Thüringen.
DWA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DWA
- Legal name
- Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e. V.
- Website
- https://de.dwa.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- DWA is Germany's independent, non-profit professional association for sustainable water, wastewater, and waste management, serving approximately 14,000 members across municipalities, engineering firms, authorities, and universities. It develops the industry-leading DWA-Regelwerk technical standards, specialized engineering software, journals, and certification training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DWA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water and Wastewater Management Services
- NAICS
- Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)
Keywords
Where DWA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hennef
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DWA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Personal and supporting memberships with annual fees providing access to professional network, publications, and events.
- Publications and Bookstore: Sale of technical publications, guidelines, journals (KA Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall and KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft), and standards through the DWA-Shop.
- Training Seminars and Events: Fees for professional training courses, certification programs, conferences, and continuing education events in water management topics.
- Software Licenses: Licensing of specialized engineering software tools for hydraulic calculations, canal inspection, structural analysis, and other technical applications.
- Subscriptions: Subscriptions to technical journals, standards updates, and specialized publications including DWA-Regelwerk, DWA-Themen, and TRwS.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Deichverteidigung Vertiefungsseminar |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Deichverteidigung Grundkurs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Publication Shipping |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
DWA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DWA is a professional association that develops and maintains technical standards, guidelines, and specialized software tools for water management, wastewater treatment, flood protection, and waste management. It sells engineering software (Hydraulik-Expert, Statik-Expert, Belebungs-Expert, Kanalinspektions-Expert, and others), technical publications and journals, training seminars and certification programs (including dike defense courses), and policy advisory services to municipalities, engineering firms, authorities, and universities.
Product overview
DWA (Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e. V.) is a professional association for sustainable water management, wastewater, and waste. The organization offers a diverse portfolio including specialized expert software tools for wastewater treatment, hydraulic engineering, and infrastructure analysis (Belebungs-Expert, Hydraulik-Expert, Kanalinspektions-Expert, Statik-Expert, and others); technical publications and journals (KA Korrespondenz Abwasser Abfall, KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft); comprehensive standards and guidelines (DWA-Regelwerk); training courses and seminars including dike defense certification programs; interactive tools such as the Germany-wide map of advanced wastewater treatment facilities; policy documents; and online learning platforms. The offering operates as a unified professional association portfolio rather than a single product platform, with software tools, publications, training services, and digital knowledge resources serving municipal utilities, engineering firms, authorities, and academic institutions in the water sector.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Die Junge DWA: Network for young professionals and emerging talent in the water management sector, including mentoring programs, networking events, and career development support.
- KANAL ROYAL
- wasser-allesklar
- Mission Aqua
Products and services
- Belebungs-Expert Kombi
- Hydraulik-Expert
- Kanalinspektions-Expert
- Statik-Expert
- Versickerungs-Expert
- Wasserbilanz-Expert
- DWA-Gewässergütemodell
- DWA-Regelwerk Comprehensive collection of DWA technical rules, guidelines, and standards for water, wastewater, and waste management, available via subscription. For water sector professionals and organizations requiring authoritative standards reference.
- KA Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall
- KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft
- Vertiefungsseminar Deichverteidigung
- Deichverteidigung Grundkurs Dresden
- Deichverteidigung Grundkurs Hamburg
- Technisches Sicherheitsmanagement (TSM)
- Audit Überflutungsvorsorge
- DWA-Mitgliedschaft
Quantifiable outcome
- Abwasserwärme can supply up to 10% of building heating demand in Germany
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DWA
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DWA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
DWA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DBU (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt)coreCollaboration on interactive exhibition 'Mission Aqua' in Osnabrück focusing on sustainable water management, climate crisis, drinking water protection, environmental pollution, and resource conflicts.
- DVGW (Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches)coreJoint development and publication of Roadmap 2030 'Handlungsagenda für die Zukunft der Wasserwirtschaft im Klimawandel' - a strategic action agenda for the future of water management under climate change conditions. Six action fields with over 50 concrete measures.
- VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen e.V.)coreJoint publication of brochure 'Abwasserwärme effizient nutzen' covering legal and technical framework conditions for wastewater heat utilization, supporting the heat transition in Germany.
- knowH2OminorDWA is a shareholder in knowH2O knowledge portal, contributing expertise and member interests to digital continuing education content for water sector employees.
- Wirtschaftsbetriebe DuisburgminorCooperation on Vertiefungsseminar Deichverteidigung (Advanced Flood Defense Seminar) providing practical training through exercises and simulations.
- Landestalsperrenverwaltung SachsenminorCooperation on Deichverteidigung Grundkurs Dresden (Flood Defense Basic Course) providing training for flood protection personnel.
- Landesbetrieb Straßen, Brücken und Gewässer HamburgminorCooperation on Deichverteidigung Grundkurs Hamburg (Flood Defense Basic Course) including coastal protection and storm surge training.
- Allianz Gemeinsam für eine wasserbewusste StadtentwicklungcoreMulti-stakeholder alliance initiated and coordinated by DWA advocating for climate adaptation as a joint task in the German Basic Law. Includes organizations from architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental foundations, and water associations.
- DACH-Kooperationspartner (ÖWAV, VSA, BWK)minorCooperation partners receiving member pricing on DWA events and training programs. ÖWAV (Austrian Water and Waste Association), VSA (Swiss Water Association), BWK (German Federal Association for Water Management).
- GFA (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Abwassertechnik e.V.)coreJoint responsibility for processing including CRM management, order processing, customer acquisition, invoicing, newsletter distribution, and event organization under GDPR Article 26.
- EWA (European Water Association e.V.)coreEuropean Water Association partnership for joint processing of customer data and international water sector cooperation under GDPR Article 26.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DWA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Water Environment Federation (WEF): U.S. nonprofit providing technical education, training, and standards for the water-quality sector. Closest U.S. equivalent to DWA's wastewater and water-quality standards, training, and publication portfolio.
- AWWA (American Water Works Association): Largest U.S. water-utility association with a comparable standards, education, and advocacy portfolio. Closest international analog in scale and member base to DWA, though U.S.-focused.
- IWA (International Water Association): Global network of water professionals spanning utilities, academia, and industry. Comparable in membership/standards/advocacy mission but operates at a much wider international scale than DWA.
Regional players
- Water UK: UK water-industry trade association representing major water companies. Comparable to DWA as a national-level water industry representative body, with overlapping policy advocacy and member-services functions.
- ÖWAV (Österreichischer Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaftsverband): Austrian Water and Waste Association, a DACH-region peer offering member pricing cooperation to DWA. Comparable in scope (water/wastewater/waste) and association model, but serving a different national market.
- VSA (Verband Schweizer Abwasser- und Gewässerschutzfachleute): Swiss water and wastewater professionals' association. DWA's DACH cooperation partner with overlapping training and standards activity, comparable as a national-association peer.
Direct peers
- DVGW (Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches): Germany's leading technical-scientific association for gas and water, directly comparable to DWA in mission, member base, and standards-setting role. DWA and DVGW co-author the Roadmap 2030, underscoring their structural overlap in the German water sector.
- VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen): German association of municipal utility companies — a co-publisher with DWA (Abwasserwärme brochure) and a natural strategic ally/competitor for municipal water-sector representation in Germany.
- EWA (European Water Association): European Water Association e.V., a GDPR-Article-26 joint-controller partner of DWA. Operates at the pan-European level with comparable advocacy, training, and member-services scope.
- BWK (Bund der Ingenieure für Wasserwirtschaft, Abfallwirtschaft und Kulturbau): German federal association for water, waste and cultural engineering that serves overlapping municipal, engineering, and authority audiences in Germany — a direct domestic peer to DWA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DWA social profiles
Digital presenceDWA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DWA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
DWA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DWA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DWA
What does DWA do?
DWA is a professional association that develops and maintains technical standards, guidelines, and specialized software tools for water management, wastewater treatment, flood protection, and waste management. It sells engineering software (Hydraulik-Expert, Statik-Expert, Belebungs-Expert, Kanalinspektions-Expert, and others), technical publications and journals, training seminars and certification programs (including dike defense courses), and policy advisory services to municipalities, engineering firms, authorities, and universities.
Is DWA a public or private company?
DWA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DWA founded?
DWA was founded in 1949. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is DWA based?
DWA is headquartered in Hennef, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does DWA make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are publications and Bookstore, training Seminars and Events, software Licenses and subscriptions.
Who are DWA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Water Environment Federation (WEF), AWWA (American Water Works Association) and IWA (International Water Association). Regional players are Water UK, ÖWAV (Österreichischer Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaftsverband) and VSA (Verband Schweizer Abwasser- und Gewässerschutzfachleute). Direct peers are DVGW (Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches), VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen), EWA (European Water Association) and BWK (Bund der Ingenieure für Wasserwirtschaft, Abfallwirtschaft und Kulturbau).
Does DWA have an API?
No public API is recorded for DWA.
What industry is DWA in?
DWA's product category is Water and Wastewater Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAG, Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration, with a secondary code of BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 2213 and its SIC code is 4941.