The present invention concerns an aqueous pharmaceutical composition for bladder instillation, cystitis therapy, or interstitial cystitis therapy, the aqueous composition containing water, hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof and/or chondroitin sulphate or a salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable bivalent metal ion, wherein the bivalent metal ion is chosen from calcium and magnesium, and wherein the bivalent ion lowers the viscosity of the composition.