Amsterdam residents to see lower water bills for 2026
By Simone Jacobs
While water board taxes in most Dutch cities are set to rise significantly in 2026, Amsterdam residents will be glad to hear that water bills in the Dutch capital will not increase next year. In fact, due to a new cost distribution system, many households will actually pay slightly less.
Amsterdam freezes water rates for 2026
The water board in Amsterdam, Waterschap Amstel Gooi en Vecht (AGV), has announced that water rates will remain unchanged for the region in 2026. "We are financially strong again. That's why we don't need to raise taxes this year,” said AGV executive director Simon Deurloo in a press release. “We continue to invest in safe, sufficient, and clean water. We also look to the future with confidence."
To keep water board taxes affordable for residents, AGV is also changing its cost distribution system, which means that costs for the water system will be distributed among residents, homeowners, businesses and building owners, and land and nature reserve owners. With the new system, “the more the water board does for you, the more you pay”.
According to AT5, households will see a slight decrease of about 15 euros per year because of the new system. The exact amount seen on the water bill will depend on whether you rent or own your home, and whether you live alone or with other people.
Each water board in the Netherlands chooses own water rates
Every year, residents in the Netherlands pay water board tax which goes towards the water system, waterways, sewage treatment and control of surface water pollution in their area. For the last two years, water bills have seen steep price hikes due to rising costs and collection issues.
Water bills in many areas of the Netherlands will see another price hike of up to 32 euros next year, based on a survey of the 21 Dutch water boards conducted by the Dutch Association of Water Boards (Unie van Waterschapen). As each regional water authority decides its own water price and tax rates for the region, the price of water varies depending on where in the Netherlands you live.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more