Damage and compensation

The aim is to prevent damage as much as possible. Have you suffered damage due to work that was not carried out properly or due to the use of the balancing lake? If so, please contact the water authority or report your damage to Submit a claim for compensation | Noorderzijlvest Water Authority.

Sometimes the government carries out work, such as building a road or amending regulations. This is permitted by law, but it can cause damage to citizens or businesses. For example, if your home or land loses value or if you suffer a loss of income as a result of the project.

You can receive compensation if:

• The damage falls outside the normal social risk. This risk means that a percentage of 4% is at your own expense. Therefore, there is a threshold of 4% of the value of your house or land. You can only receive compensation, if the damage exceeds this amount.
• The damage affects you more severely than others in the same situation.

• The damage was unforeseeable

  
  For more information and a form to submit a request for compensation for loss, click here:Request Compensation for Loss | Noorderzijlvest Water Authority

• You can submit a request for compensation for loss to the Drenthe Provincial Executive.
• You can submit a claim for compensation for damage caused by the construction or use of the balancing lake to the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority.

Landowners in a balancing-lake area have a duty of tolerance. This means that they must accept that their land may flood or retain water temporarily. This is a legal obligation.

Only damage caused by controlled flooding is eligible for compensation. This compensation only applies if the damage exceeds the normal social risk. Is that the case? Then the policy rule of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority applies: 

• The landowner is entitled to full compensation
• There is a reverse burden of proof: the landowner does not have to prove that damage was caused by flooding.

If your land is located in a balancing-lake area, you must accept that it may sometimes flood or be subject to water damage. This is a legal requirement and is referred to as the 'duty to tolerate'. Each time this happens, you can receive compensation. This is called compensation for loss.

Is your land outside the balancing lake area? Then the duty to tolerate does not apply. You do not have to accept flooding and are not entitled to compensation for loss. The water authority tries to limit or prevent problems outside the washlands. If flooding does occur, the water authority can take measures. Discussions are held with landowners on how any damage will be dealt with.