Water board taxes to rise 7% on average in 2027

Water board taxes will rise by an average of 7% in 2027 for homeowners and tenants, the Unie van Waterschappen, the umbrella body of the country's water boards, announced. Businesses will also pay more.

Why it matters

• A single-person tenant is expected to pay about €15 more a year.
• Owners of a home with a WOZ value (the official property valuation) of €300,000 pay about €33 more a year on average.
• Owners of a home worth €450,000 pay about €37 more a year on average.
• Agricultural businesses and nature managers pay 7.5% more on average; for other businesses the rise is a little over one percentage point lower.

A higher bill is of course not welcome news. But as water boards we are doing everything to prevent nuisance and damage and to keep the Netherlands safe and liveable.Floor Wissing-Kunst, finance portfolio holder, Unie van Waterschappen

The Unie van Waterschappen says the water boards are investing in stronger dikes, renewed pumping stations, retention basins, stream restoration, wastewater treatment, digital security and preparation for long power outages.

The 7% is an average, and what a household pays depends on its situation and its water board. Taxes differ because conditions and tasks differ per area, and because each board decides its own priorities and spending. A board in low-lying land, for example, needs many dikes and pumping stations, while others focus more on drought, nature restoration or water quality.