Our Water-Authority Regulations

Rules in accordance with the purpose of the Environment and Planning Act

The Water-Authority Regulations have been prepared on the basis of the Environment and Planning Act and in accordance with the purpose of the Environment and Planning Act. This means that:

• A permit will be necessary less often. Instead, there will be a notification requirement before the activity commences. In some cases, notification may even be waived. However, duties of care will always apply.
• For the most common activities, the regulations are regulations on 'yes, provided that' rather than 'no, unless'. This means that the regulations will tell you when the water authority grants you permission to carry out an activity. We indicate immediately when an activity can be carried out (i.e., 'yes, provided'). The water authority no longer assumes that the activity is prohibited unless a permit can be granted (i.e., 'no, unless').
• As far as possible, whe Water-Authority Regulations are integrated regulations issued by the water authority. Various policy documents have been incorporated in the rules that are in the Water-Authority Regulations. They include the rules for management and maintenance and the maintenance obligation of the water system and water treatment plants, based in part on the Regional Water Authority Act (and not on the Environment and Planning Act). In this way, rules for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies are also safeguarded.

Contents of our Water-Authority Regulations

Our Water-Authority Regulations mainly include the following rules:

1. Definitions;
2. Goals of the water authority;
3. General duties of care;
4. Designation of restricted areas (areas where the rules from the Water-Authority Regulations apply);
5. Management and maintenance rules;
6. Rules for carrying out activities in our management area;
7. Rules for supervision and enforcement;
8. Transitional law.

Initial check, report, or submit an application: on the Environment and Planning Act Digital System

The Water-Authority Regulations have been made digitally accessible in the Environment and Planning Act Digital System (DSO). On the Environment and Planning Portal, an online platform where all the rules of national, provincial, municipal, and water authority administrative bodies can be found. The regulations can be found under "Regels op de kaart" (Rules on the map).

The DSO is also the place for submitting reports and applying for permits. Before you do that, you can perform a 'permit check' in the DSO. The DSO's permit check uses a map of the Netherlands. Anyone can mark a location on that map where they want to carry out an activity. Through various questions asked in the DSO, it will eventually become clear what needs to be done, or not, to carry out the activity. The central government, provincial executives, municipalities, and water authorities can all impose rules and obligations through their own regulations within the DSO, indicating whether a certain activity requires no permission, a report, or a permit. It also clarifies which duties of care apply.

Environment and Planning Act Digital System (DSO)

The Environment and Planning Act Digital System (DSO) supports the implementation of the Environment and Planning Act. It consists of local government systems and the components of the national facility (DSO-LV), such as the Environment and Planning Portal. 

Environment and Planning Portal

The Environment and Planning Portal is the central location where digital information about the living environment under the Environment and Planning Act comes together. This allows everyone to view this information in one place and use it immediately. The Environment and Planning Portal is part of the Environment and Planning Act Digital System (DSO).