The institute within the University of Trier, founded in the summer of 2006, deals with modern issues of water management law on a scientifically independent basis. 

Many academics are of the opinion that water law is merely a single element of environmental management law. However, this theory would hardly serve justice to those who deal with water law on a scientific level. Especially the European legislature and water companies understand that water law is not only a part of environmental law but also of European commercial law. New challenges have thus arisen which both the German legislature and German water companies must meet. Consequently, the institute applies a holistic approach to research, examining water management law, the utilization of bodies of water according to property law, the user-orientated and ecological protection of bodies of water and the economic regulatory framework. The close cooperation of the institute with the members of its sponsoring association is of high significance. It ensures a proximity of legal research to practice.

Services to the members of its sponsoring association include online access to the institute´s homepage, a quarterly survey on current jurisdiction and literature as well as discounted admission fees to events held by the institute.

Finally the institute conducts several externally funded research studies on selected issues.

The institute is chaired by Prof. Dr. Michael Reinhardt.