Water Board and Waste Tax

On top of utilities and city or municipal taxes, in the Netherlands, you are also charged a water board tax and a waste tax.

Water boards are responsible for maintaining the dunes, dikes, quays, and levees to maintain sustainable water levels; waterway and polder water level maintenance for flood prevention; and water waste and pollution treatment. Water boards have existed in the Netherlands for hundreds of years, but as climate change has an increasingly significant impact on water levels and weather patterns, they are more vital than ever.

In the province of Drenthe GBLT is the responsible government organisation for collecting the taxes for most municipalities and water boards. In Friesland and Groningen it’s the Noordelijk Belastingkantoor. When you have a small income, are self employed/an entrepreneur and have low capital, you might qualify for a remission. Check with your local organisation  who qualifies and how to apply.

 Water Board Tax (waterschapsbelasting)

 There are three kinds of water board taxes, and they are all charged in a single bill:

•  Runoff
• Water infrastructure maintenance
• Purification

How much you will be charged depends on how your wastewater is treated and who your local water board is. This tax can be very expensive – as much as €700 a year in some cases, although the average is closer to €400 – so we recommend saving up monthly to make sure you have the funds needed when the bill comes (typically around February). You can find out which water board your address belongs to on this site.

Waste Tax (afvalstoffenheffing)

Waste collection is paid for by a tax (afvalstoffenheffing) which is assessed yearly based either on a flat fee or on weight/amount of the waste, depending on which municipality you live in and how many people live at your address (more expensive for more people). This covers collecting the underground bins or emptying the wheelie bins on the sidewalk – be sure to check with your local municipality about its waste collection policy.