One of the many services you may need to arrange for your household upon moving to the Netherlands is the water service. Everyone wants the water quality they drink and bathe in to be up to code, right? To ensure this, there are several factors you must consider, including which company is supplying the water and dealing with the sewerage in your municipality. This post details all you need to know about sewerage in Rotterdam, including paying the water tax as a resident here.
Important to note: if you’re renting as part of a student-shared flat from a private landlord, or a student housing provider, the water supply and bill are likely already arranged for you. Even better, in most Coliving spaces like the Citylifer, we also arrange this for you!
Clean Drinking Water
Don’t fear the recent headlines saying the Netherlands’ water quality is not the cleanest in Europe. To be clear, this is not referring to the supply of drinking water in the country – which remains healthy and clear. The Netherlands’ natural bodies of water are what these headlines are referring to.
But don’t let this deter you! The Netherlands remains committed to providing fully drinkable tap water for all its residents – so you can remain worry-free when living here. For Rotterdam at least, your drinking water travels for months through natural reservoirs – undergoing natural pre-purification – before being pumped into purification locations to make clean drinking water. The purification locations then remove unwanted substances from the water or reduces them to safe concentrations to meet government standards.
Hard Water vs. Soft Water
Water quality is also dependent on the hardness of the water. This is crucial information for drinking, bathing, and even washing your clothes. For example, hard water contains excessive amounts of calcium and magnesium, leaving your water-based appliances filled with limescale. So, the softer your water, the better.
According to Waternet.nl, an average level of water hardness is considered to be between 8 and 12 dH (German Hardness), and Rotterdam lies at around 8.5 dH, according to the Rotterdam water provider, Evides.
However, some people have differing opinions for what they think is an acceptable level of water hardness. If you still think the water quality is too hard in your municipality, invest in a water filter! These are small appliances you can install in your shower tap. With this filtration system, it can contribute to fighting eczema and providing healthier hair.
We recommend the following water filter from Bol.com:
Rotterdam's Water Supply
As you’ve probably already guessed, water service is all the water you get in both the bathroom and kitchen. The water grid in the Netherlands isn’t privatised, so you can’t choose your supplier. The only water company in Rotterdam is Evides.
Applying for Rotterdam Water Service with Evides
Within 5 days after moving into your new Rotterdam accommodation, register on the Evides website with your household address and email address. You will need to pass on the readings from your accommodation’s water meter (see next section). You will immediately receive a confirmation email containing all detailed information regarding your future bills. In the meantime, you can already enjoy your fresh water!
Apply For Water Service in Rotterdam with Evides
Step 1
Register on the Evides website as soon as you get the keys to your new apartment
Step 2
Check your water meter and pass the meter reading on to Evides
Step 3
Receive the confirmation e-mail with all details
Reading the Water Meter
To measure your water use, check the reading of the water meter in your accommodation. The location of the water meter varies per house. Typically, it’s found next to your boiler or in the meter closet but sometimes it can also be installed in the toilet, bathroom, or kitchen. The water meter itself is a round, plastic box. Many water meters have a flap that you have to lift first to see the meter reading.
A 4-digit water meter means you provide a reading with one 0 and the rest are numbers (e.g., 0955). Do you have 5 digits on your water meter? Set the first digit as 0 so the reading you provide is 00955.
Afterwards, submit your readings in your ‘Mijn Evides’ account.
Paying the Water Service in Rotterdam
How expensive the water service is in Rotterdam depends on your water use. For small consumption (up to 10,000 liters) of drinking water per year, the fixed fee is 92,98 euros (in 2024), including VAT.
After the first year of living in your accommodation, you will read your water meter again, pass the value onto Mijn Evides and receive a calculation of the amount of water you used for a year. Evides will compare it with the water readings you submitted at the start of the year and see if you’ve paid too little or too much.
Depending on this, you will either have to pay a bit extra or receive some money back.
Water Service Taxes
After successfully applying for the water service, there is just one more thing to remember while living in Rotterdam: taxes. There are two types of water-related taxes: sewerage tax (Rioolheffing) and water board tax (Waterschapsbelasting).
Sewerage Tax
The sewerage tax (Rioolheffing) is a yearly tax for maintaining the sewer system in the municipality you’re registered in. It’s used to repair holes, vacuum wells, and replace parts of the sewer system. Consequently, users of the sewerage system also pay because they discharge water waste into it. The tax is a fixed amount paid by homeowners. This fixed amount for 2024 is 286.50 euros in the Rotterdam municipality.
Water Board Tax
The water board tax (Waterschapsbelasting) is charged yearly for the region you are registered in on January 1st. This tax is used for maintaining the quality of your water as well as dunes, dikes, and quays. The water board tax for most of the municipalities in the Zuid-Holland region (where Rotterdam is located) is issued by the Holland Delta Water Board (SVHW).
The Waterschapsbelasting is initially sent to the homeowner and when the property is rented, the government states it is the new tenant making use of the property that now pays the tax. You will then receive the tax letter by mail from the SVHW. The amount you pay is also a fixed amount every year.
The rates depend on which area within the Holland Delta you live in.
If you live with several people at one address, then one person will receive the tax notice. Everyone living there must contribute to paying for it. Are you moving out of the Holland Delta area during the year? Then you will still pay for the whole year for this region.
But, the new region you move to next will either charge you again but pay you back to prevent you from paying twice in a year, or charge you in the next calendar year. You should only be paying this tax once a year.
Remission for Taxes
Can’t afford the tax? Check out our blog post on Dutch taxes to see how you can apply for a remission of the taxes in your municipality if you earn a low income.
