Both private individuals and companies can extract groundwater in the Netherlands; it is mandatory to report this to the water board or the province or, in a number of cases, to apply for a permit. Groundwater is used, among other things, as industrial process water, drinking water or for soil energy systems. Provinces and water boards follow the regulations of the Water Act and can implement additional policy with their own regulations and take area-specific requirements into account.
Types of groundwater extractions
Groundwater can be used by both private individuals and companies for various purposes. Examples include creating a (public) drinking water supply or installing a heat-cold storage facility. A permit is not required for every groundwater extraction; sometimes it is sufficient to make a notification, which is always mandatory. A number of examples of groundwater extractions are:
- Soil or groundwater remediation in which a soil layer or aquifer is remediated and cleaned through groundwater extraction or infiltration
- Source drainage in which a soil is temporarily dried out to carry out construction work, for example the construction of a sewerage system or the construction of houses
- Irrigation in which crops are irrigated
- Firefighting water (fire pit)
- Drinking water for livestock
- Industrial extractions, for example cooling water for machines
- Geothermal energy systems in which geothermal heat is extracted from the ground by extracting and infiltrating water and heating homes, also called KWO or WKO systems (heat and cold storage)
- Food industry: dairy, meat, (soft) drinks (considered industrial extractions or applications)
- Drinking water, intended for consumption, is extracted by drinking water companies in drinking water extraction areas
Who licenses what?
The Water Act has existed in the Netherlands since December 22, 2009. It includes several previously separate laws, including the Groundwater Act. With the entry into force of the Water Act, more groundwater permits and notifications have come under the responsibility of the water boards, where previously they were mainly the responsibility of provinces. However, the large industrial extractions (more than 150,000 m 3 per year), the geothermal energy systems and drinking water supplies are still under the responsibility of the provinces, and a permit must therefore be requested from the province for these groundwater extractions. The Water Act prescribes that it is prohibited to extract or infiltrate groundwater for industrial extractions larger than 150,000 m 3 per year, for geothermal energy systems and for public drinking water supplies without a permit from the Provincial Executive. Only for industrial extractions can the province decide by means of a regulation that no permit is required if the quantity of groundwater extracted does not exceed 10 m 3 per hour.
The province is the competent authority in the following cases
In any case, the province must be contacted if the groundwater extraction concerns an industrial application in which more than 150,000 m 3 is extracted per year, if the extraction concerns a public drinking water supply, or if the extraction or infiltration is for a geothermal energy system. It is possible that a permit requirement will lapse in a number of cases if a maximum of 10 m 3 is extracted per hour. The province can tell you everything about this.
The water board is the competent authority in the following cases
In general, all extractions other than public drinking water supplies, geothermal energy systems or industrial extractions larger than 150,000 m 3 per year can be obtained from the water board. Consider industrial purposes (less than 150,000 m 3 per year), irrigation, soil remediation, drinking water for livestock, well drainage or a fire pit. Since reporting is always mandatory when extracting or infiltrating groundwater, it is always wise to immediately inquire with the water board whether a permit or a notification is required. The water board can then immediately provide the correct information and, if necessary, refer you. If you only have to report and no permit is required, you often have to wait for permission from the water board or province before groundwater can be extracted.
Different counters
As mentioned, you can submit a report or application to the water board or the province, but you can also go to the environmental counter. This is a digital environment where you can check whether you need a permit or whether just a notification is sufficient. The actual notification or request can also be made here. Finally, the municipality often knows a lot about permits and can always refer someone to the right agency.
Permit application, complexity
An application for a permit is a complex matter, because many factors must be taken into account. A permit is then not standard work but often rather tailor-made. Regulations are often tailored to the area in which the extraction takes place, such as combating dehydration near and in nature reserves or combating salinization in coastal areas. It is therefore certainly possible that a preliminary consultation takes place prior to the permit application, so that both the permit issuer and the applicant can determine how complex the matter is and which documents and reports must be submitted with the application. However, it is always up to the licensing authority to ultimately decide whether or not the permit can be granted. When this is granted, it always includes regulations that the permit applicant must comply with. In exchange for complying with all regulations, the applicant is given the opportunity to extract or infiltrate groundwater. Naturally, the installation of a groundwater pump, filters, all research that needs to be done, the permit fees, groundwater levies and complying with the regulations in the permit also involve a lot of costs. It is up to the permit applicant to determine whether these costs can be paid and recouped.
Administration of the extracted groundwater and its purpose
Both a notification and a permit include obligations such as regularly reporting the quantities of water extracted. For example, the permit application must indicate, among other things:
- What and when the water is used
- The location of all wells
- The depth of the well in relation to NAP and ground level
- Data such as the diameter and length of the pump’s filters
- The capacity of the pump in m3 per hour
- The maximum amount of water that can be extracted per hour, per day, per month, per quarter and per year
- An analysis of the effects of groundwater extraction on the soil
- Measures to prevent or limit possible negative effects on the environment, such as effects on nature, archaeology, soil pollution or other groundwater extraction in the area
Save water
The purpose of granting permits and the administration of all notifications is to save as much as possible on our precious groundwater. Groundwater is replenished as a result of rainwater infiltration, but it is important to find a good balance between groundwater consumption and supply. In addition, drinking water areas and nature reserves in particular require extra attention; here it is important to prevent dehydration, as well as in coastal provinces where salinization is wanted to be prevented. The entire permit and reporting system therefore aims to ensure that the management of our groundwater runs smoothly for both the present and the future.
More information
For more professional information, advice, or questions regarding applying for a permit or reporting groundwater extraction, there is only one source to go to, and that is the water board or the province. Of course, other authorities can also help you further, such as the municipality or Rijkswaterstaat.