NACE 37.0 – Sewerage | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 37.0 covers the collection, conveyance and treatment of wastewater (foul water, stormwater, combined sewage) via public sewer networks as well as treatment in wastewater treatment plants. It includes the planning, construction and operation of sewer and treatment plant infrastructure as well as the disposal of sewage sludge.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 37.0 cover?

NACE 37.0 (Sewerage) classifies companies and bodies that operate public sewer networks and treat wastewater biologically, chemically and physically in treatment plants — a core element of municipal infrastructure and water protection.

Group 37.0 within Section E (Water supply, sewerage, waste) and Division 37 comprises the following class:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 37.0 are municipal wastewater operators, special-purpose wastewater associations, treatment plant operators and municipal utilities with a wastewater division — frequently classified as utility contracting entities under the EU utilities directive.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 37.0

Sewerage is a mandatory task of municipalities and continually generates tender demand — from sewer rehabilitation to treatment plant construction and sewage sludge recovery.

Typical contract types

• New sewer construction and rehabilitation: Laying new sewer pipes (gravity sewers, pressure drainage), trenchless sewer rehabilitation (relining, inliner methods), pumping stations, manholes
• Treatment plant construction and extension: Construction of biological treatment stages (activated sludge, SBR), sludge treatment facilities (digestion, thickening), phosphate elimination, the fourth treatment stage (micropollutant removal)
• Sewage sludge disposal and recovery: Tendering of the collection, dewatering, drying and incineration or agricultural utilisation of sewage sludge
• Operation of treatment plants: Service contracts or service concessions for full operation of municipal treatment plants by private operators
• CCTV sewer inspection: Camera surveys, leak testing, condition classification according to DIN EN 13508
• Stormwater management: Retention basins, stormwater overflow basins, infiltration trenches, swale-rigole systems, evaporation systems
• Measurement and control technology: Process control systems for treatment plants, online measurement technology for effluent parameters, level measurement

Thresholds and procedure types

Depending on their organisational form, wastewater operators are either classical contracting authorities (associations, municipal undertakings) or utility contracting entities (mixed-economy operators). EU thresholds: works contracts EUR 5,538,000, supply and service contracts EUR 221,000 (classical) or EUR 443,000 (utilities). The open procedure is standard; for operating concessions, concession award law applies.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 37.0

CPV codes enable targeted searches for sewerage tenders on TED and national procurement platforms.

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 37.0 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

Sewerage is a mandatory municipal task under German and Austrian law. It is performed by municipal undertakings, in-house operations, special-purpose associations or private-law entities (GmbH, AG) with majority municipal ownership. Contracting authorities must ensure that treatment plant construction and sewer rehabilitation comply with the requirements of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (revised in 2024), which is generating substantial investment demand and consequently tender volumes.

Companies and bidders

• Trade authorisation: Trade licence for civil engineering and pipeline construction; where relevant, certification as a specialist waste management company (Entsorgungsfachbetrieb) for sewage sludge transport and recovery
• Technical capacity: Reference lists of comparable sewer construction and treatment plant projects (capacity expressed in population equivalents, PE)
• Certifications: GSTT membership or quality marks for trenchless rehabilitation methods; specialist waste management company (Efb) for sewage sludge; ISO 9001, ISO 14001
• Sewage sludge expertise: Evidence of expertise and regulatory authorisation under AbfKlärV (Sewage Sludge Ordinance)

NACE 37.0 in context: Section E and related groups

NACE 37.0 is part of Section E (Water supply, sewerage, waste) and is closely linked to water supply (36.0) and waste management (38.x).

• NACE E – Water supply, sewerage, waste: Parent section
• NACE 36.0 – Water collection, treatment and supply: Drinking water collection and distribution
• NACE 38.1 – Waste collection: Refuse collection, recycling centres
• NACE 38.2 – Waste treatment and disposal: Landfill, incineration, MBT
• NACE 39.0 – Remediation activities: Soil remediation, contaminated sites

Frequently asked questions on NACE 37.0 and public tenders

What is the difference between sewerage as a service contract and as a concession?
Under a service contract, the contracting authority pays a fee for the service rendered. Under a service concession, the operator bears the operating risk and finances itself through user charges. Concessions have been subject to their own award regime (KonzVgV/BVergG concession rules) since 2016.

What does the new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive require of treatment plants?
The revised directive (2024) requires a fourth treatment stage (micropollutant removal) for agglomerations of 100,000 PE or more and tightens nitrogen and phosphorus removal requirements — this generates substantial investment and tender demand through 2035.

How do I find treatment plant tenders?
On TED by CPV search: 45252100 (treatment plants), 90420000 (sewage treatment). Sewer rehabilitation contracts can be found under CPV 45232400 (sewer works) and 90470000 (sewer cleaning).

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.