Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach

What Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach does

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach (ZWO) is a municipal water utility association (kommunaler Zweckverband) founded in 1965 under the Gesetz über Kommunale Gemeinschaftsarbeit, jointly owned by Stadt Offenbach am Main and Kreis Offenbach. Headquartered in Rodgau, Germany, with only 9 employees, ZWO supplies drinking water to approximately 450,000 residents and businesses across Stadt Offenbach and 12 surrounding municipalities via 6 waterworks, over 100 extraction wells, and a regional transmission network (Fernleitungsnetz). Annual water extraction is approximately 19 million m³ from the Hanau-Seligenstädter Senke aquifer under rights covering ~20 million m³, with ~18.5 million m³ delivered per year — a figure that has fallen from a peak of 23.9 million m³ in 1991 due to conservation.

The core service is groundwater extraction, physical treatment (cascade aeration, iron/manganese precipitation, dolomitic filtration to establish lime-carbonate equilibrium), and pumping at ~6 bar pressure to municipal handover points. A DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory (DAkkS registration PL-14480-01) provides certified water quality testing. The utility runs a DIN EN ISO 50001-certified energy management system and operates on 100% renewable electricity (Öko-Strom) for its 8.7 million kWh annual consumption. Supporting programs include the Nitrat-AG agricultural cooperation framework (since 1994) covering ~3,000 hectares of water protection zones and the Wasserampel public groundwater-availability monitor drawing on ~60 measurement stations.

ZWO's revenue model is regulated cost-recovery pricing: a monthly base fee scaled by meter size (EUR 4.60–440/month) plus a consumption fee of EUR 2.17/m³ (net). Since 01.01.2016 it has also handled direct billing for Stadt Offenbach end customers, and since 01.01.2023 it acts as service provider for wastewater billing to ESO. The organization pursues climate-resilient supply through its December 2023 membership in Wasserverband Hessisches Ried, which provides access to Rhine-water treatment capacity via the Biebesheim Brauchwasserwerk, and continues to invest in transmission infrastructure including the new Bayerseich pressure boosting station and the Clariant-Gelände pipeline.

Name

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach

Legal name

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach

Website

https://zwo-wasser.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach (ZWO) is a municipal water utility founded in 1965 that extracts, treats, and distributes drinking water to approximately 450,000 residents across Stadt Offenbach and 12 Kreis municipalities in Germany's Rhine-Main region via 6 waterworks and over 100 wells.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water Supply

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Water Reuse Utilities (ZLD/MLD & Process Water Recycling) (EUANAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

NRW Data Management & Water Balance (IWA Methodology, GIS/SCADA Integration, Digital Twins) (EUANAKAJ), Groundwater Monitoring & Well Sampling (Monitoring Wells, Plumes) (EUAHACAE)

Keywords

• Drinking water supply
• Municipal water utility
• Waterworks operations
• Groundwater extraction
• Water distribution network

Headquarters

HQ city

Rodgau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Trinkwassergebühren (Drinking Water Fees): ZWO generates revenue through regulated drinking water fees charged to consumers in its supply area. Fees consist of a Grundgebühr (base/monthly fee) scaled by meter size (QN rating) and a Verbrauchsgebühr (consumption fee) per cubic meter of water consumed. For Offenbach am Main, ZWO has managed water supply and billing since 01.01.2016. ZWO also acts as a service provider for wastewater billing for Eigenbetrieb ESO der Stadt Offenbach since 01.01.2023.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZWO is a municipal-purpose water association (Zweckverband) that extracts groundwater from more than 100 wells, treats it at six waterworks, and transmits drinking water to approximately 450,000 residents across Stadt Offenbach am Main and Kreis Offenbach. It supplies wholesale drinking water to municipal utilities and directly bills end consumers in Stadt Offenbach, alongside ancillary services such as standpipe rental, school water dispenser subsidies, and consumer information tools.

Product overview

ZWO operates as a municipal water supply association (Zweckverband) providing drinking water services through an integrated system of groundwater extraction, treatment, and distribution. The core product is drinking water supply to approximately 450,000 residents across the city of Offenbach and the Offenbach district, delivered via 6 waterworks, over 100 wells, and an extensive pipeline network. Supporting services include a DAkkS-accredited laboratory for water quality testing, an ISO 50001-certified energy management system, and agricultural consulting through the Nitrat-AG working group to protect groundwater from nitrate contamination. Customer-facing services encompass a customer center for billing and inquiries, a public water status indicator (Wasserampel), infrastructure location information, facility tours, and school water dispenser subsidies. The organization also provides drinking water infrastructure for major development projects and participates in regional water supply networks through partnerships with Hessenwasser GmbH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking Water Supply (Trinkwasserversorgung) Core public utility service providing treated drinking water extracted from more than 100 groundwater wells and processed at six waterworks to approximately 450,000 residents across Stadt Offenbach am Main and Kreis Offenbach.
• Remote Water Supply to Municipal Utilities (Fernwasserversorgung) Wholesale supply of treated drinking water via pipeline network to municipal water utilities that resell to end consumers in the Verbandsgebiet.
• Standpipe Rental (Standrohrvermietung) Rental of metered standpipes (hydrant standpipes) enabling construction sites, events, and other temporary users to draw drinking water from the network via the ZWO Wassercenter.
• School Drinking Water Dispensers (Trinkwasserspender für Schulen) Subsidized provision and servicing of drinking water dispensers in schools within the ZWO service area.
• Facility Tours (Anlagenführungen) Guided tours of ZWO's waterworks and water infrastructure offered to schools, citizens, and stakeholder groups for educational outreach.
• Water Traffic Light Consumer Information (Wasserampel) Digital information service that communicates drinking water quality and supply information to consumers in the ZWO service area.
• Online Customer Portal (Kundenportal) Online portal enabling ZWO customers in Stadt Offenbach to manage their water accounts, view consumption, and handle service requests.
• Customer Center Services (Kundencenter / Wassercenter) Walk-in customer service center (Kundencenter / Wassercenter) in Offenbach supporting account management, service requests, and standpipe rental arrangements.

Quantifiable outcome

• PFAS-20 limit of 100 ng/l continuously met across all waterworks (since 16.01.2026)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hessenwasser GmbH & Co.KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Hessenwasser GmbH & Co.KG is a key water supply partner. ZWO sources water from Hessenwasser via the Bayerseich handover point (Druckerhöhungsanlage Egelsbach) for customers in Langen, Neu-Isenburg, Dreieich, Messel, and Dietzenbach. ZWO and Hessenwasser jointly work on chlorine odor reduction in the Offenbach north area. Additionally, Hessenwasser manages the Brauchwasserwerk (raw water facility) in Biebesheim (Wasserverband Hessisches Ried), and ZWO is connecting to Hessenwasser's regional pipeline network.
• Wasserverband Hessisches Ried (WHR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023ZWO (Stadt Offenbach and Kreis Offenbach) became a member of the Wasserverband Hessisches Ried in December 2023. The WHR operates the Brauchwasserwerk in Biebesheim (capacity up to 43 Mio m³/year) which performs Rhine water treatment for groundwater recharge. This membership supports ZWO's strategic goal of climate-resilient water supply in the face of population growth and climate change.
• Innovationscampus Offenbach GmbH & Co.KG (INNO GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn 27.02.2025, ZWO and INNO GmbH signed an agreement for the construction of a ~650-meter drinking water pipeline across the former Clariant chemical site in Offenbach. The Clariant site is a 36-hectare industrial brownfield — the largest contiguous inner-city development area in the Rhine-Main metropolitan region. ZWO will build and operate the pipeline; construction is planned to begin June 2025 with completion end of 2027. This pipeline is essential infrastructure enabling the site's redevelopment into a modern commercial/industrial location.
• Gerrit KaniaOthersGeschäftsführer (Managing Director) of ZWO, responsible for overall management and operations of the water utility.
• Rudolf HußleinOthersVerbandsvorsitzender (Association Chairman) of ZWO's Vorstand, representing ZWO in key agreements such as the Clariant pipeline contract.
• b-pi sec GmbHminorOthersb-pi sec GmbH (Kopenhagener Str. 6, 65552 Limburg an der Lahn) implements and manages ZWO's Hinweisgebersystem (whistleblowing system) in compliance with the HinSchG (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz). b-pi sec acts as an independent, neutral qualified mediator, enabling anonymous reporting. b-pi sec also serves as ZWO's Datenschutzbeauftragte (Data Protection Officer).
• A. Klein Rohrleitungsbau GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPipeline construction company listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• Stadtwerke Offenbach (SOH)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal utility company listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• APUS GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService company listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• Theodor Kohl GmbH & Co. KGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• Aqua Concept GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• BGS Umwelt PlanungminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnvironmental planning consultancy listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• Stadtwerke RodgauminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMunicipal utility company listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• ASW Dienstleistung und HandelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService and trading company listed as a business partner of ZWO on the partner page.
• Land Hessen (Hessian State Government) – Regierungspräsidium DarmstadtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2011, ZWO has been commissioned by the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt to implement the European Water Framework Directive (Wasserrahmenrichtlinie) for measure areas (Maßnahmenräume) outside its direct supply area. This includes 'Untermainebene' (~7,000 ha) and 'Main-Taunus/Main-Taunus-Ost' (~10,000 ha). ZWO provides agricultural consulting, soil analysis, and nitrate reduction programs in these areas.
• Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft HessenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState agricultural authority collaborating with ZWO in the Nitrat-AG for groundwater protection advisory services.
• Gutachterbüro TerrAquatminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm collaborating with ZWO in the Nitrat-AG and Water Framework Directive measure area management.
• 40+ farmers in ZWO supply areacoreOthersOver 40 farmers have signed voluntary cooperation agreements (Kooperationsvereinbarungen) with ZWO, covering more than 50% of the area within ZWO's water protection zones. These agreements include target-based payments (Erfolgsorientierte Zusatzvereinbarungen) for achieving low nitrate levels, along with soil analysis, fertilization recommendations, and erosion protection support.
• ~450 farmers and agricultural businesses in Water Framework Directive measure areascoreOthersApproximately 450 farmers and agricultural businesses participate in ZWO's advisory programs across the Untermainebene, Main-Taunus, and Main-Taunus-Ost measure areas (~15,000+ hectares). Services include soil analysis, fertilization recommendations, crop rotation planning, and nitrate reduction programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hessenwasser GmbH & Co. KG: Regional long-distance water supplier in Hessen, partner of ZWO via the Bayerseich pressure boosting station and joint chlorine-odor reduction work. Operates comparable large-scale water treatment and pipeline distribution across Hessen, making it the closest operational peer.
• Zweckverband Bodensee-Wasserversorgung: One of Germany's largest Zweckverbände, supplying drinking water from Lake Constance to ~4 million people across Baden-Württemberg. Same legal form (Zweckverband), long-distance Fernwasserversorgung model, and municipal-member governance as ZWO.
• Zweckverband Landeswasserversorgung: Stuttgart-based Zweckverband operating long-distance drinking water supply in Baden-Württemberg with state-mandate member municipalities. Closely comparable in legal structure, multi-municipal governance, and Fernwasser transmission operations to ZWO.
• Harzwasserwerke GmbH: State-owned water utility in Lower Saxony operating reservoir-based drinking water supply and long-distance pipelines to multiple municipalities. Comparable Fernwasserversorgung, multi-municipal customer base, and public-utility governance model.
• Wasserverband Hessisches Ried (WHR): Regional water association that ZWO joined in Dec 2023; operates the Brauchwasserwerk in Biebesheim (capacity up to 43M m³/year) for Rhine water treatment and groundwater recharge. Same Zweckverband-style public-utility model serving Hessen.

Broad incumbents

• Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB): Berlin's integrated municipal water and wastewater utility, one of Germany's largest. Operates comparable drinking water supply infrastructure at much greater scale, with a public-ownership structure analogous to ZWO.
• Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig (KWL): Municipal drinking water utility serving Leipzig and surrounding areas; operates groundwater extraction, treatment, and ISO-certified lab similar to ZWO. Larger in scale, but structurally comparable as a publicly owned municipal water supplier.
• Gelsenwasser AG: One of Germany's largest water utilities, supplying drinking water to >2 million people across multiple federal states with both municipal and industrial customers. Comparable regulated water-supply model at much greater scale, with a wider geographic footprint.
• Münchner Stadtwerke GmbH (M SW): Munich's municipal multi-utility with significant water supply operations (Münchner Wasser). Comparable regulated municipal water supply model serving a major German metropolitan area, though far larger and broader in scope than ZWO.

Regional players

• Stadtwerke Frankfurt am Main: Largest municipal utility in the Rhine-Main metro adjacent to ZWO's service area; supplies drinking water across Frankfurt and parts of the region. Comparable municipal water-utility operations in the same geography, though significantly larger and broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/zwo_wasser
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zweckverband-wasserversorgung-stadt-und-kreis-offenbach

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Stadt und Kreis Offenbach