Management of water quality in drinking water catchments is of on-going, high importance as nitrate concentrations are often still very high. We analysed the Augsburg catchment in Germany, a unique example where a result-oriented approach has been implemented. We investigated the historical evolution of the water proctection programme, the result-oriented payment contracts with farmers, and farmer satisfaction with the contracts, based on interviews with the water utility and farmers, and farmers as well as an analsis of literature. Today, the water protection programme has been successfully implemented, and a significant reduction of nitrate concentration was achieved due to different factors : i) investment of non-negligible amounts of money for high compensation and remuneration payments, ii) different contract options, iii) farmers' participation in the negotiation process for result-oriented payment contracts, iv) involvement of "outside" people and institutions in negotiation processes, v) anticipation of starting a programme when nitrate levels were still far below from legislative thresholds, and vi) a political and legislative framework allowing direct decisions by a water supplier.