Applying for a planning permit for activities near water

Where you need to apply to for a permit for activities near water (in Dutch) depends on where you are going to carry out your activity:

• Are you going to carry out activities in or near a ditch, stream or pond? If so, you must apply for a permit from your local water authority.
• Do you want to carry out an activity in or near a large river or lake, such as the Rhine, the Meuse or the IJsselmeer? Then you must apply for a permit from Rijkswaterstaat (executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management).
• Do you want to remove or add a large quantity of water from the ground? Then you must apply for a permit from the province.

If you are not sure where you need to apply for a permit, contact the municipality where you intend to carry out your activity.

Provinces, water authorities and Rijkswaterstaat may charge fees for processing your application.

In the Netherlands, water authorities, provinces and Rijkswaterstaat are responsible for protecting the country from flooding, preventing water shortages and treating wastewater. They ensure that brooks, streams, rivers and lakes remain clean, that groundwater levels are maintained and that river banks and dykes are not damaged.

You need to apply for a planning permit for activities near water because it enables the relevant water authority, Rijkswaterstaat or the province to monitor your activities to ensure that they do not negatively affect the water quality, safety and quantity in an area.

You may also need other permits for activities that you intend to carry out under other laws or regulations. One example is an omgevingsvergunning (planning permit). You can obtain information about this from the relevant municipality.