Annual Plan 2025: growth for the value of water

Higher investments

Net operating costs this year amount to a budget of over €100 million for the first time. Noorderzijlvest has never exceeded this threshold before. The level of gross investments for 2025 is €127 million.

Major challenges

Climate change is leading to longer periods of persistent rainfall, which means that people and machinery are sometimes required to work around the clock for weeks or even months. The capacity of pumping stations increased. Dykes reinforced. Longer periods of drought pose challenges in retaining water for as long as possible where feasible.
In regional processes, we are working with partners to find solutions for mitigating the effects of climate change as effectively as possible. The technical feasibility of our country’s infrastructure has limits; we now know that adapting to nature and providing sufficient space for water helps prevent or reduce future problems. The consistent application of the “water and soil-driven” principle is becoming water-management work important in water-management work . This requires new policy frameworks, which will be developed in the coming period.
The European objectives to meet strict standards for clean and healthy surface water demand significant effort from water authorities. And the requirements for the treatment process of wastewater from households and businesses are becoming increasingly stringent. As the number of homes continues to grow, the future capacity of existing wastewater treatment plants requires attention. Facilities and processes must be adapted accordingly.

These developments lead to more work and thus more investments. It also means that the water authority organisation will grow in size organisation coming years. The growth in capacity is particularly evident in daily management and maintenance, as well as in the development and modernization of wastewater treatment plants. Growth is projected at 4% by 2025.

Water board charges rise by an average of 7.1%

The water authority taxes on residents and businesses. This is its main source of income. In previous years, water board charges also rose, partly due to increasing inflation and rising material costs. These effects are still being felt. In addition, higher investments and a growing organisation an increase in tax rates: + €43 per year for an average family with a home they own. A family with a rented home will pay €28 more next year. A single person with a rented home will pay €17 more. The average percentage increase for the various tax categories is 7.1%. The executive committee proposes to use €1 million from its own reserves on a one-off basis to bring the tax rate to that average of 7.1%.

Bestuur of Directors

On November 27, the Bestuur of Directors the final decision on the 2025 Annual Plan and tax rates. 

Want to read the full annual plan?

The complete 2025 Annual Plan can be found in the meeting documents for November 27 at noorderzijlvest.bestuurlijkeinformatie.nl: 2025 Annual Plan