Paying water authority tax

Waterschappen (water authorities) are responsible for:

• ensuring dykes are safe;
• monitoring groundwater levels;
• ensuring there is sufficient clean water in brooks and streams, and
• purifying sewage water.

Water authorities collect the taxes themselves. The taxes that they collect enables them to carry out their tasks.

Water board tax consists of different types of charges:

• zuiveringsheffing (waste water treatment charge);
• verontreinigingsheffing (pollution charge);
• watersysteemheffing (water system charge);
• wegenheffing (road charge).

Which charge you have to pay depends on your personal situation and place of residence.

Waste water treatment charge

Water authorities use the water treatment levycharge to pay for the cost of cleaning sewage water. Sewage is produced when we wash the dishes, do the laundry and flush the toilet, for example.

Pollution charge

Water authorities use the pollution levycharge to pay the costs of purifying water in brooks and streams into which wastewater is discharged.

Water system charge

Water authorities use the water system levycharge to pay for the costs of draining water in wet periods and retaining water in dry periods, for example by means of dyikes and pumping stations. In this way, they protect your home and business from flooding and prevent water shortages.

Water authorities also use the money from the water system charge to keep water in brooks, streams, ponds and lakes clean. They do this for example by dredging, constructing nature-friendly banks and suppressing nutrient overabundance in bodies of water.

Road charge

Some water authorities charge a road charge. They use it to pay for the maintenance of roads and cycle paths outside built-up areas (with the exception of provincial and national roads).

Every year, each water authority sets tax rates for its own area. The amount of water authority taxes varies from one water authority to another. This is because areas differ from each other and so do the tasks of the water authorities. For example, one water authority manages dykes while another does not.

You receive a tax assessment every year. This tells you how much water authority tax you have to pay.