Urban waste water treatment per province and river basin district
| Regions | Periods | Urban waste water treatment plants Numbers by type Carrousels (number) | Urban waste water treatment plants Capacity pollution equivalents by type Carrousels (1 000 pollution equivalent) | Urban waste water treatment plants Capacity inhabitant equivalents by type Carrousels (1 000 inhabitant equivalents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nederland | 2024 | 119 | 9,934 | 7,738 |
| Noord-Nederland (LD) | 2024 | 28 | 1,318 | 970 |
| Oost-Nederland (LD) | 2024 | 24 | 2,268 | 1,749 |
| West-Nederland (LD) | 2024 | 56 | 4,805 | 3,683 |
| Zuid-Nederland (LD) | 2024 | 11 | 1,543 | 1,336 |
| Groningen (PV) | 2024 | 8 | 260 | 195 |
| Fryslân (PV) | 2024 | 18 | 828 | 604 |
| Drenthe (PV) | 2024 | 2 | 230 | 172 |
| Overijssel (PV) | 2024 | 2 | 218 | 182 |
| Flevoland (PV) | 2024 | 4 | 650 | 560 |
| Gelderland (PV) | 2024 | 18 | 1,400 | 1,007 |
| Utrecht (PV) | 2024 | 14 | 1,365 | 1,082 |
| Noord-Holland (PV) | 2024 | 8 | 779 | 581 |
| Zuid-Holland (PV) | 2024 | 32 | 2,618 | 1,989 |
| Zeeland (PV) | 2024 | 2 | 43 | 31 |
| Noord-Brabant (PV) | 2024 | 5 | 620 | 547 |
| Limburg (PV) | 2024 | 6 | 922 | 790 |
| The river Eems | 2024 | 4 | 270 | 201 |
| The river Rijn (North Rijn) | 2024 | 23 | 918 | 678 |
| The river Rijn (East Rijn) | 2024 | 23 | 2,775 | 2,137 |
| The river Rijn (Central Rijn) | 2024 | |||
| The river Rijn (West Rijn) | 2024 | 51 | 4,241 | 3,244 |
| The river Maas | 2024 | 16 | 1,686 | 1,448 |
| The river Schelde | 2024 | 2 | 43 | 31 |
| Source: CBS. | ||||
Table explanation
This table presents the most significant results of the annual survey Public treatment of urban waste water. The results are presented per province and river basin district (Rijn, Maas, Eems and Schelde) and include:
- number and capacity of the urban waste water treatment plants by type of treatment;
- the volume and concentration of organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals in the waste water running into waste water treatment plants (influent) and the volume of treated waste water (effluent). As of 2017, data on heavy metals are only inventoried for even years.
- the volume and destination of the sludge released, with nutrients and heavy metals. As of 2017, sludge data are only inventoried for even years.
Additional data on urban waste water treatment plants, process technology, energy consumption, generation of energy and sludge dewatering can be accessed on the Dutch version of StatLine.
Data available from: 1981
Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are definitive.
Changes as of 29 May 2026:
The figures of 2024 has been added.
When will new figures be published?
New figures on 2025 will be published by March 2027.
Description topics
- Urban waste water treatment plants
- The number and capacity of urban waste water treatment plants in the Netherlands where nearly all domestic waste water and waste water from the private sector is treated. The plants are all operated by regional water quality control authorities.
- Numbers by type
- Number of sewage water treatment plants broken down by method of treatment.
- Carrousels
- This technology is chiefly applied in large installations. Typical of carrousels are the depth (between 2 to 4 metres) and the aeration method.
- Capacity pollution equivalents by type
- Capacity urban waste water treatment plant:
A value that indicates how much organic pollution theoretically can be treated by a waste water treatment plant.
The pollution equivalent is the official unit that quantifies the pollution in waste water; one pollution equivalent = 150 g TOD (Total Oxygen Demand).
One pollution equivalent is the daily quantity of oxygen-demanding material in the waste water of one person. The degree of pollution in the waste water produced by the private sector is also expressed in pollution equivalents.
This unit is used as of 2010, so for previous years no values are available.- Carrousels
- This technology is chiefly applied in large installations. Typical of carrousels are the depth (between 2 to 4 metres) and the aeration method.
- Capacity inhabitant equivalents by type
- Capacity urban waste water treatment plant:
A value that indicates how much organic pollution theoretically can be treated by a waste water treatment plant.
The capacity expressed in Inhabitant Equivalents is determined on basis of: one inhabitant equivalent = 54 g BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand).
One inhabitant equivalent is the daily quantity of oxygen-demanding, organic substances in the waste water of one person.
Nowadays, the use of the unit inhabitant equivalent is decreasing. The most common unit is the pollution equivalent.- Carrousels
- This technology is chiefly applied in large installations. Typical of carrousels are the depth (between 2 to 4 metres) and the aeration method.