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Scheldestromen Water Board

What does the water board do for you?

The Scheldestromen Water Board is the governmental body responsible for protecting Zeeland against floods by managing the 525-kilometre sea defences. The water board also ensures that the outer areas are accessible by managing and maintaining more than 3,900 kilometres of roads. This makes the Scheldestromen Water Board the largest road manager in Zeeland.

Apart from protection against flooding by seawater, the water board is also responsible for the collection and disposal of excess rainwater - to make sure you can keep your feet dry. In dry periods the water board ensures that the water is retained for as long as possible. The water board does this by managing over 11,000 km of ditches, creeks, watercourses and polder pumping stations.

Another of the water board's tasks is to make sure that wastewater produced by households and companies is purified. This is done using 17 wastewater purification plants In Zeeland. On average, we use 125 litres of tap water per person per day for showering, cooking and washing.

Clean water is becoming scarcer. The Scheldestromen water board purifies sewage water before it goes back into nature. We also try to prevent contamination of the surface waters.

Why do I have to pay taxes to the water board?

Rising sea levels, large amounts of rain in short periods and stringent environmental regulations are all making the work of the water board increasingly important. The work of the Scheldestromen Water Board is financed by the taxpayer.

Water board taxes

To carry out all these tasks, the water board levies the following taxes:

• Water System Tax for Undeveloped Land: you pay this tax if your business is able to use undeveloped land (other than nature reserves) within Zeeland. The tax assessment is based on the surface area and is paid per hectare. The water board receives this information from the Land Registry. The rate for the water system tax for undeveloped land is €59.71/ha.
• Water System Tax for Developed Land: you pay this tax if your business is able to use a building, such as a house, garage or business premises. In 2012, the rate for this tax is 0.0537% of the valuation under the Valuation of Immovable Property Act (the WOZ in Dutch). The amount paid for this tax is based on the WOZ value of the building. You will receive details of that valuation from your municipality. If you do not agree with this figure, you can submit an objection to the municipality in question. The amount payable for the water system tax for developed land is obtained by multiplying the WOZ value by 0.0537%.
• Purification Charge/Decontamination Charge: This tax is imposed for the costs of transporting and purifying wastewater, processing silt and purifying wastewater. If you are using an independent accommodation unit, you have to pay this tax of €159.39; it is charged per accommodation unit.

This text is for information only; no rights can be derived from it.