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 causing longer periods of persistent rainfall, which means that people and machines sometimes have to work continuously for weeks or even months. The capacity of pumping stations is being increased. Dikes are being reinforced. Longer periods of drought are creating challenges in terms of retaining water for as long as possible.
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 layout has its limits; we now know that working with nature and providing sufficient space for water helps to prevent or reduce problems in the future. The consistent application of the principle of 'water and soil control' is becoming increasingly important in water management. This requires new policy frameworks, which will be put in place in the near future.
The European objectives to meet strict standards for clean and healthy surface water require a great deal of effort from water authorities. And the requirements for the treatment process of used water from households and businesses are becoming increasingly stringent. As more and more houses are being built, the future capacity of existing sewage treatment plants requires attention. Installations and processes must be adapted accordingly.

These developments lead to more work and therefore more investment. It also means that the water authority as an organization will grow in size in the coming years. The growth in capacity will be particularly noticeable in daily management and maintenance and in the development and modernization of sewage treatment plants. Growth is estimated at 4% for 2025.

Water board charges rise by an average of 7.1%

The water board levies 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 organization contribute to 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 down to that average of 7.1%.

General management decision

On November 27, the general board will make 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