Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürtemberg (NOW) Wasserversorgung

What Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürtemberg (NOW) Wasserversorgung does

NOW Wasserversorgung is a public-law municipal special-purpose association (Zweckverband) founded in 1953 and headquartered in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It ranks as the third-largest regional drinking water supplier in Baden-Württemberg, serving approximately 600,000 people across 75 member municipalities in the northeastern part of the state. The utility operates 9 water treatment plants drawing from 200+ wells and springs and delivered approximately 30 million cubic meters of drinking water in 2025, a record annual volume. Infrastructure includes a centralized 24/7 control room (Leitstelle) for remote monitoring and dispatch, a pipeline network spanning several hundred kilometers, and on-site renewable energy assets comprising 16 photovoltaic installations, 15 turbines, and 1 wind turbine. NOW holds ISO 50001 energy management certification and DVGW TSM technical safety management certification, most recently recertified in February 2026.

Revenue is generated through regulated municipal water tariffs charged to 75 member municipalities, supplemented by 8 active technical management contracts with neighboring utilities (e.g., Stadtwerke Schwäbisch Hall, Stadtwerke Tauberfranken, Ingelfingen, Satteldorf) and engineering/planning services. The organization is funded through member contributions, water fees, and capital reserves, with no venture capital or private equity involvement. Annual construction volume reached a record €25 million in 2024, a €42.7 million supply concept for northern Rems-Murr-Kreis was completed in 2025, and the ELAN long-term renewal program commits more than €140 million in infrastructure investment through 2040. Leadership consists of Geschäftsführer Dr. Jochen Damm and Verbandsvorsitzender Stefan Neumann (Mayor of Künzelsau). Financials are not publicly disclosed as the entity operates under public-sector accounting and reporting standards.

Name

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürtemberg (NOW) Wasserversorgung

Legal name

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürttemberg

Website

https://now-wasser.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NOW Wasserversorgung is a public-law municipal water utility (Zweckverband) founded in 1953, headquartered in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg, serving approximately 600,000 people across 75 member municipalities as the third-largest regional drinking water supplier in the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drinking Water Supply Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Municipal water supply
• Drinking water utility
• Water treatment services
• Technical operations management
• Bulk water distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Crailsheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Services: Primary revenue from supplying drinking water to 75 member municipalities. Water is sold based on consumption and contracted water rights. Revenue supports operation of water treatment plants, pipeline networks, and infrastructure maintenance.
2. Technical Management Services: Technical operating services (Technische Betriebsführung) provided to member municipalities for their local water supply facilities. Currently provides 8 technical management contracts including for municipalities like Ingelfingen, Satteldorf, and various water associations.
3. Planning and Consulting Services: Planning and project services for member municipalities including design, construction management, and project execution for water supply facilities. Since 1999, over 80% of members utilize NOW's service offerings.
4. Remote Monitoring Services: Remote monitoring (Fernüberwachung) of water supply facilities for member municipalities through centralized control systems

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NOW is a municipal Zweckverband (special-purpose association under public law) that produces, treats, and distributes drinking water to 75 member municipalities across northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, serving approximately 600,000 people. The association operates nine water treatment plants, more than 200 wells and springs, and an extensive pipeline network exceeding 300 km, complemented by technical operations management, planning, and remote monitoring services for member municipalities.

Product overview

NOW (Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürttemberg) is a regional bulk water utility providing drinking water supply services to approximately 600,000 people across northeastern Baden-Württemberg through 75 member municipalities. The organization operates a portfolio of nine water treatment facilities (Wasserwerke: Bronn, Grimmbach, Heilberg, Kregelberg, Kupfer, Murrtal, Niedernhall, Schweighausen, Wart) that process water from over 200 wells and springs. These waterworks use various treatment technologies including CARIX ion exchange, ultrafiltration, UV disinfection, and softening systems to achieve consistent water quality with hardness around 13-14°dH. Water is distributed through an extensive pipeline network exceeding 300km, supplemented by elevated tanks and pumping stations. Beyond core water supply, NOW offers technical operations management, remote monitoring, planning, and supply concept coordination services to member municipalities. The organization also operates renewable energy infrastructure including 16 PV installations, 15 turbines, and 1 wind turbine as part of its sustainability strategy targeting carbon neutrality by 2040.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of drinking water now produced through own treatment facilities, up from 1% in 2005
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stadt RavensteincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2024Stadt Ravenstein joined NOW as the 75th member in October 2024. Ravenstein's water supply is now connected to NOW's waterworks Niedernhall, improving supply security and water quality for the municipality. The city previously relied solely on local water sources.
• Stadt IngelfingencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024NOW assumed technical management services for Stadt Ingelfingen's water supply starting July 2024. The city has been a NOW member since 1974. The technical management includes 19 local networks, 14 elevated tanks, 1 pumping station, and 62 km of pipelines serving approximately 5,500 residents.
• Gemeinde SatteldorfcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024NOW took over technical management services for Gemeinde Satteldorf starting February 2024. The partnership includes 25 local networks, 5 elevated tanks, 3 water towers, and 75 km of pipelines supplying approximately 1 million liters of drinking water daily.
• Zweckverband Wasserversorgung JagstgruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation since 2014. NOW operates waterworks Schweighausen for the Jagstgruppe association. The facility produces approximately 4.8 million liters of drinking water daily distributed to Crailsheim, Jagstzell, Rosenberg, and Frankenhardt. Currently being expanded with ultrafiltration system.
• Zweckverband Bühlertal-WasserversorgungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner since 2005 when NOW was first entrusted with technical management. Waterworks Heilberg is part of the supply structure with a 9 km connection pipeline to NOW's network. Now also involved in HB Rossberg (new) project.
• Stadtwerke TauberfrankencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term member and partner. NOW operates waterworks Wart in Bad Mergentheim for the Tauber region, producing approximately 1.4 million liters daily. Joint Taubertalkonzeption project completed in 2018 with investment of over 14 million euros.
• Landeswasserversorgung Baden-WürttembergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Vorlieferant (bulk water supplier) providing long-distance water supply to NOW. Together with Bodensee-Wasserversorgung, supplies approximately 60% of NOW's water needs as backup and supplementary source.
• Bodensee-WasserversorgungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Vorlieferant (bulk water supplier) providing long-distance water supply from Lake Constance region. Together with Landeswasserversorgung, supplies approximately 60% of NOW's water needs.
• Gemeinde Oppenweiler, Stadt Backnang, and other Rems-Murr municipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEight municipalities in northern Rems-Murr-Kreis partnered with NOW on the Murrtal supply concept. The 42.7 million euro project completed in 2025 connects 55 wells and springs to the new waterworks Murrtal, serving approximately 75,000 people.
• Land Baden-Württemberg (State Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government provides funding support for NOW infrastructure projects including waterworks construction and modernization. Received 2.7 million euros in subsidies for new wells expansion at Schweighausen waterworks. State support has been instrumental in major supply concept projects.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hamburg Wasser: Hamburg's municipal water and wastewater utility. Comparable as a publicly owned water-only utility operating extensive treatment and distribution infrastructure under regulated tariffs, though far larger and serving a single city-state.
• RheinEnergie AG: Cologne-area municipal multi-utility with water supply activities. Comparable regional German municipal utility model, though water is one segment alongside energy and district heating at substantially larger scale.
• EWE Wasser GmbH: Regional water utility subsidiary of EWE AG serving parts of northern Germany (Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, etc.). Comparable as a regulated water-only utility operating treatment and distribution infrastructure, though larger and more geographically dispersed.
• Berliner Wasserbetriebe: Berlin's municipal water and wastewater utility, one of Germany's largest. Comparable as a publicly owned water utility with a long-dated concession structure, though at materially larger scale and serving a single metropolis.
• Stadtwerke Stuttgart: Large multi-utility in the Stuttgart region of Baden-Württemberg. Comparable as a municipal utility with water supply operations in the same state, though broader in scope (energy, district heating, mobility).
• Mainova AG: Frankfurt-based municipal multi-utility with significant water supply operations. Comparable in being a publicly owned utility providing drinking water to a regional customer base, but operates at larger scale and across multiple service lines.
• Stadtwerke München (SWM): Munich's municipal multi-utility, operating one of Germany's largest water supply systems (Münchner Trinkwasser). Comparable as a municipal, public-law utility operating treatment plants and distribution networks, though at materially larger scale.
• Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig: Municipal drinking water supplier for Leipzig and surrounding regions in Saxony. Comparable as a municipally owned water utility operating treatment facilities and pipeline networks serving a defined regional customer base.

Direct peers

• Landeswasserversorgung Baden-Württemberg: State-level long-distance drinking water supplier in Baden-Württemberg and NOW's other key bulk supplier. Comparable regional utility model supplying wholesale water to municipal members across the same state.
• Bodensee-Wasserversorgung: Major long-distance water supplier in Baden-Württemberg and one of NOW's two primary bulk-water suppliers (~60% combined with Landeswasserversorgung). Highly comparable as a regional Zweckverband-style drinking water supplier serving multiple municipalities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=l8cjrhx7ZAk&rel=0&showinfo=0
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zweckverband-wasserversorgung-nordostw%C3%BCrtemberg-now-wasserversorgung

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Nordostwürtemberg (NOW) Wasserversorgung