Waste water

Waste water is water that you want to get rid of. You can discharge waste water in the soil, the surface water or the sewer. You must observe the regulations when doing this. You can, for instance, not drain oil. Read more about the general regulations on the website of InfoMil (Dutch Only).

There are specific rules for:

• Waste water from a private household. For instance toilet water or other household waste water.
• Waste water from an institution, according to the Environmental Management Act. For instance waste water from a large animal shelter.
• Waste water from outside an institution. For instance, waste water from pleasure boats or municipal waste water.

Sometimes you will need to make a notification or apply for a water permit.

Does your waste water originate from a private household?

• You adhere to the Discharge of household waste water Decree (Dutch only).
• Do you not discharge into the sewer? You must make a notification. You will need a good reason. For instance: the sewer is more than 40 metres away.

Does your waste water come from an institution?

• Use the step-by-step plan of Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch only) to determine whether you have an institution.
• Check, by use of with the Activities Decree Internet Module (Dutch only) whether you require a notification or permit.

Does your waste water come from outside an institution?

• Is your type of discharge not mentioned in the Discharging outside institutions Decree (Dutch only)? Then you cannot simply discharge the water. You probably need a notification or a permit.
• Do the permit check via Environment Counter online (Dutch only).

• General regulations for discharging waste water (duty of care) (Dutch only)
• Information from Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Waterways and Public Works) regarding the Discharging of household waste water Decree (Dutch only)
• Information from Rijkswaterstaat regarding the Activities Decree (Dutch only)
• Information from Rijkswaterstaat regarding the Discharging outside institutions Decree (Dutch only)
• Determine whether you have an institution in accordance with the Environmental Management Act (Dutch only)
• Check whether your institution requires a notification or permit (Dutch only)

A notification must be made at least 4 weeks in advance. A permit must be applied for, at least 8 weeks in advance.

There are 2 possible procedures in the event of a permit. In case of a common procedure, a decision will be submitted to you within 8 weeks. This term can be extended once by the municipality, by 6 weeks.

In case of an extensive procedure, the decision will be submitted to you within 6 months. This term can be extended by the municipality, by 6 weeks.

This is how you notify about or apply for a permit:

• Go to Environment Counter online (Dutch only).
• Do the permit check.
• You will see whether a notification or a permit is required. You can arrange this immediately.
• Log in: 
• for yourself: using DigiD
• for a business: using eRecognition

Usually, the municipality will decide about your application. In some cases, the water board, the province or the National Government will decide.

For a notification, "objection and appeal" does not apply.

In case of a common procedure, you object with the municipality. Regarding an extensive procedure, you express your opinion (vision) with regard to the draft decision.

Do this within 6 weeks. You do not agree afterwards? Then you can lodge an appeal with the Court. After that, you can possibly submit an appeal.

Did you not receive a response within the 6 weeks' appeal term? Then the permit is definitive.

If you send an application or notification, the municipality will need your personal details. The municipality will handle your personal details with care. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) states how the municipality should handle your personal details.

The main rules are:

• The personal details that the local authorities asks for, are necessary for the handling of your application or notification.
• The municipality registers and processes your details in a safe, confidential and careful manner.
• The municipality will use your details only for the processing of your application or notification (or for something directly related to it).
• Your personal data will not be retained any longer than necessary for the processing of your application or notification.
• Other organisations will receive your data only if this is required by law.
• If requested so by you, the municipality will explain what the data is necessary for and what happens to it.