Waterschap Hunze en Aa's

What Waterschap Hunze en Aa's does

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's is a Dutch regional water board (waterschap) — a statutory public government entity under the Waterschapswet — with exclusive responsibility for water management in Noordoost-Groningen and Noordoost-Drenthe. The organization manages 3,800 kilometers of canals and ditches, 1,470 kilometers of embankments, and 13 wastewater treatment plants, delivering flood protection, water level management, water quality monitoring, and ecological stewardship (fish migration, invasive species control) to all residents, businesses, and landowners within its jurisdiction. Core technical capabilities include drone-based dike inspection with AI-assisted anomaly detection (partnered with Aerosophia), environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring for fish migration research, and participation in the national FRESHEM-NL helicopter electromagnetic survey program for subsurface groundwater mapping. The organization's mandate includes regulatory authority over permits and enforcement under the Waterschapsverordening.

The organization is funded primarily through waterschapsbelasting (water board taxes) levied on residents, businesses, and landowners, with a 2025 budget of €106 million growing to €108.6 million in 2026 (tax revenues increasing 4.0-4.2% annually). Revenue streams include watersysteemheffing (water system levy) on households, buildings, land, roads, and nature, plus zuiveringsheffing (purification levy) charged per pollution unit discharged. Additional funding includes annual contributions to the national Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP) of €4 million and full compensation from Nedmag for water system adjustments required due to subsidence from salt mining.

Beyond its statutory regional mandate, Waterschap Hunze en Aa's pursues international cooperation through the Blue Deal program across six countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Romania, Peru), delivers community education programs (Water Race, Mien Toentje TV series), and collaborates with technology partners, research institutes, and adjacent water boards on dike reinforcement (Dollarddijk project), emission-free operations pilots, ecological restoration, and national data infrastructure initiatives. The organization is governed by a general board (algemeen bestuur) and daily board (dagelijks bestuur), with dijkgraaf Geert-Jan ten Brink as chairman and secretaris-directeur Jelmer Kooistra as chief executive.

Name

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's

Legal name

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's

Website

https://hunzeenaas.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's is a Dutch statutory water board managing flood protection, water quality, and water systems across 3,800 km of waterways, 1,470 km of dikes, and 13 wastewater treatment plants in Northeast Groningen and Northeast Drenthe, funded by mandatory water board taxes on residents, businesses, and landowners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Water Management

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Regional water management
• Flood protection services
• Wastewater treatment operations
• Water board authority
• Waterway infrastructure maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Veendam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Waterschapsbelasting (Water Board Taxes): The organization is funded primarily through water board taxes levied on residents, businesses, and landowners within its jurisdiction. Tax categories include: watersysteemheffing (water system levy) charged to residents per household, buildings (binnendijks and buitendijks) as a percentage of WOZ property value, undeveloped land per hectare, roads per hectare, and nature per hectare; and zuiveringsheffing (purification levy) charged per pollution unit (verontreinigingseenheid, ve) based on household size or business discharge. Budget for 2025: 106 million euros. Budget for 2026: 108.6 million euros. Tax revenues increase approximately 4.0-4.2% annually. The organization also receives compensation from Nedmag for costs related to adjusting water systems due to subsidence caused by salt mining.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's is a statutory Dutch water board that manages regional water systems in Noordoost-Groningen and Noordoost-Drenthe, providing flood protection through maintenance of 1,470 km of dikes and embankments, water quantity management across 3,800 km of canals and ditches, wastewater treatment at 13 RWZI plants, water quality monitoring, and ecological programs such as fish migration support. Services are funded by waterschapsbelasting (water board taxes) and delivered to residents, businesses, farmers, nature organizations, and drinking water companies within its jurisdiction.

Product overview

Waterschap Hunze en Aa's is a Dutch regional water management authority responsible for water system management, flood protection, and wastewater treatment across Northeast Groningen and Northeast Drenthe. The organization manages 3,800 kilometers of canals and ditches, 1,470 kilometers of dikes, and 13 wastewater treatment plants. Services include water level management, water quality monitoring, dike reinforcement, infrastructure maintenance, and international cooperation on water management projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flood protection and dike management Maintenance and reinforcement of 1,470 km of dikes, embankments, and water barriers protecting Noordoost-Groningen and Noordoost-Drenthe against sea and river flooding. Includes the multi-year Dollarddijk sea dike reinforcement programme under the national Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP). Service is delivered to all residents, businesses, and landowners within the jurisdiction as a statutory public service.
• Water quantity management Management of water levels across 3,800 km of canals, ditches, pumping stations, and sluices to ensure sufficient water during drought and timely drainage during excess rainfall. Includes adjustment of water systems to compensate for ground subsidence caused by salt mining. Service is delivered to residents, farmers, and nature areas within the jurisdiction.
• Wastewater treatment Operation of 13 regional wastewater treatment plants (RWZI) including the Assen plant with three sludge digestion tanks in service for sixty years. Includes collection and treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater discharged by households and businesses within the jurisdiction. Funded by the zuiveringsheffing (purification levy) charged per pollution unit (verontreinigingseenheid).
• Water board taxes (waterschapsbelasting) administration Statutory levy and administration of watersysteemheffing (water system levy on residents, buildings, land, roads and nature) and zuiveringsheffing (purification levy per pollution unit) to fund water management activities. Tax rates are set annually through the general board budget cycle, with a 2025 budget of €106 million and a 2026 budget of €108.6 million. Delivered to residents, property owners, landowners, and businesses in the jurisdiction.
• Drone-based dike inspection with AI anomaly detection Drone inspection service for dikes and embankments using cameras and sensors, combined with AI software (in collaboration with Aerosophia) that recognizes anomalies such as cracks and erosion. Used for surveying of assets, handhaving (enforcement), water quality monitoring, and ecological change mapping. Pilots conducted at Termunterzijl and along the Winschoterdiep embankment.
• Fish migration monitoring and fish passage support Monitoring of fish migration through eDNA sampling on both sides of fish passages, in collaboration with Waardenburg Ecology. Includes reintroduction projects such as the Serpelingproject in the Ruiten Aa and upper Peizerdiep in partnership with Sportvisserij Groningen Drenthe, Sportvisserij Nederland, and INBO Belgium. Service supports ecological water quality and biodiversity objectives.
• Subsurface groundwater and salinity mapping (FRESHEM-NL) Regional participation in the FRESHEM-NL helicopter electromagnetic survey project, which maps subsurface geology, clay layers protecting groundwater, and fresh versus saline groundwater up to 200 metres depth. Hunze en Aa's jointly invested over €850,000 in the project together with provinces Groningen and Drenthe, waterschap Noorderzijlvest, and Waterbedrijf Groningen. Delivered jointly with national and regional water partners.
• Rijpdijk clay maturation pilot on existing sea dike Pilot project in collaboration with Stichting Ecoshape Building with Nature testing whether clay maturation can occur directly on an existing sea dike by applying thin layers of sludge to the surface, allowing it to mature and then compacting it. Tests conducted at six experimental sections at Nieuwe Statenzijl, providing evidence for more sustainable dike reinforcement methods.
• Water education programs for primary schools (Water Race) Educational program delivered with Race Against Waste, waterschap Noorderzijlvest, Waterbedrijf Groningen, and Gemeente Groningen to ten primary schools in the region, combining water awareness, water quality education, and sustainability. Targets school children as future water stakeholders in the jurisdiction.
• International water cooperation under Blue Deal International cooperation program supporting water management capacity building in six countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Romania, Peru) through the Dutch Blue Deal initiative of the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure and Water Management, and Dutch water boards. Activities include water management support, monitoring, permits and enforcement, maintenance, flood management, drought mitigation, and pollution levy implementation, including laboratory support to ANGESEM in Bamako, Mali.
• Low-emission water-related construction works (Groningen-Zuid pilot) Pilot project with Avitec and Gemeente Groningen executing water-related construction works with minimal emissions of harmful substances, using electric and hydrogen machinery and pursuing circularity through material reuse. Includes dredging, pruning, and altering water drainage in the De Wijert/Helpman neighborhood of Groningen.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13 wastewater treatment plants providing water purification services for the region
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, pilot-level, minor, research, active engagement, compliance/incident and regulatory/compensation.

• FRESHEM-NL consortium (7 provinces, 7 water boards, 5 drinking water companies, 2 knowledge institutes)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2025National collaboration on helicopter electromagnetic surveys (FRESHEM-NL) to map subsurface geology identifying clay layers protecting groundwater and locating fresh versus saline groundwater. Provinces Groningen and Drenthe, waterschappen Hunze en Aa's and Noorderzijlvest, and Waterbedrijf Groningen jointly invested over €850,000 in this mapping project.
• Avitec and Gemeente Groningenpilot-levelStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2025Collaboration on pilot project 'Groningen-Zuid' to execute water-related construction works with minimal emissions of harmful substances, using electric and hydrogen machinery and pursuing circularity through material reuse. Project involves dredging, pruning, and altering water drainage in the De Wijert/Helpman neighborhood.
• Sweco and Antea GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSweco and Antea Group contracted by Waterschap Hunze en Aa's to provide technical consultancy support for the Verkenning (exploration) phase of the Dollarddijk strengthening project, aiming to determine the preferred alternative for dike reinforcement.
• Stichting Ecoshape Building with Naturepilot-levelStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Rijpdijk pilot to test whether clay maturation can occur directly on the existing sea dike by applying thin layers of sludge to the dike surface, allowing it to mature and then compacting it. Tests conducted at 6 experimental sections at Nieuwe Statenzijl.
• Royal Haskoning DHVminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRoyal Haskoning DHV conducted research into the effects of subsidence caused by salt mining on regional water management, forming the basis for the measures plan and new water level decisions for the area west of Veendam.
• Waardenburg EcologyresearchImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on eDNA monitoring research to track fish migration patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of fish passages, conducted by researcher David Ekkers from Waardenburg Ecology together with Hunze en Aa's aquatic ecologist Peter Paul Schollema.
• Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Flood Protection Program (HWBP) co-financing 90% of the Dollarddijk exploration phase (€4.626 million of €5.624 million total). The Dollarddijk strengthening project falls under the HWBP which involves water boards, Rijkswaterstaat, and market and knowledge institutes collaborating to protect the Netherlands from flooding.
• Blue Deal (Dutch Water Authorities / Unie van Waterschappen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Deal is an execution program of the Dutch ministries of Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure and Water Management, and Dutch water boards, running until 2030 with the goal of protecting 20 million people in 40 river basins worldwide and providing access to sufficient clean water. Hunze en Aa's participates in Blue Deal activities in six countries.
• ANGESEM (National Agency for Wastewater Treatment Plant Management) — Maliactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerHunze en Aa's supports the water laboratory of ANGESEM (National Agency for Management of Wastewater Treatment Plants) in Bamako, Mali, helping improve the laboratory's quality and capabilities. This is a reduced-scale continuation of the Blue Deal program in Mali, along with waterschappen Hollands Noorderkwartier and Rivierenland.
• SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation)active engagementImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSNV (Netherlands Development Organisation) is working with Hunze en Aa's and other Dutch water boards to develop the Blue Deal collaboration in Mali, alongside ANGESEM.
• Provincie Drentheactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government of Drenthe collaborating with Hunze en Aa's on multiple water management initiatives including the Deltaplan Agrarisch Waterbeheer (DAW), water system adjustments related to salt mining subsidence, and agricultural water measures.
• Sportvisserij Groningen Drenthe and Sportvisserij Nederlandactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Serpelingproject to reintroduce serpeling (喘流水) fish into the Ruiten Aa river system. Catchpaai-ready serpelingen were collected from the Drentsche Aa and raised at INBO Belgium, then released into the Ruiten Aa and upper Peizerdiep.
• INBO (Instituut voor Bos- en Natuuronderzoek) — Belgiumactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish Institute for Forest and Nature Research (INBO) in Belgium specialized fish hatchery that bred tens of thousands of young serpeling for release into the Ruiten Aa and Peizerdiep systems as part of the Serpelingproject.
• Gemeente Groningenpilot-levelStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of the Groningen-Zuid project involving maintenance of ponds, dredging, and modification of water drainage in the De Wijert/Helpman neighborhood, using electric and hydrogen-powered equipment.
• Race Against Wasteactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization collaborating with Hunze en Aa's, waterschap Noorderzijlvest, Waterbedrijf Groningen, and Gemeente Groningen on the Water Race educational project for primary schools, combining water awareness, water quality education and sustainability.
• RTV Noordactive engagementGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional television broadcaster producing the 'Mien Toentje' program in collaboration with waterschappen Noorderzijlvest and Hunze en Aa's, Provincie Groningen and Waterbedrijf Groningen, exploring backyard water management issues in Groningen gardens.
• Waterbedrijf Groningenactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional drinking water company extracting surface water from the Drentsche Aa for water production. Collaborates with Hunze en Aa's on water quality protection, FRESHEM-NL surveys, and educational programs (Water Race).
• Waterschap Noorderzijlvestactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighboring water board in Groningen collaborating on shared water management challenges including water quality in the Drentsche Aa, PFAS contamination response (Eelde), high water events requiring coordinated sluice management in Delfzijl, and the Water Race educational program.
• Avebecompliance/incidentOthersAvebe is a potato starch cooperative with a production facility in Ter Apelkanaal. An operational incident at Avebe's facility caused inadequately treated wastewater to enter the Mussel-Aa-kanaal, leading to fish mortality and oxygen depletion. Avebe has taken response measures including installing aerators and providing extra water supply.
• Nedmagregulatory/compensationOthersNedmag mines magnesium salt in the Veendam area causing ground subsidence. Under a legal agreement, Nedmag fully compensates Waterschap Hunze en Aa's for all water management adjustments required due to subsidence, including new pumping stations, sluices, water level changes, and system modifications.
• Unie van Waterschappenactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Union of Dutch Water Boards (Unie van Waterschappen) coordinates national policy positions, shared initiatives such as InfraTech, the national vangstcijfers (trapping statistics) for muskrat and beaver rat, and representation of water board interests nationally and internationally including the Blue Deal.
• Aerosophiapilot-levelTechnology or IntegrationTechnology company with a software platform that can recognize anomalies in dikes using drone imagery and AI. Collaborating with Hunze en Aa's on a drone-based dike inspection pilot at Termunterzijl and the Winschoterdiep embankment.
• Het Drentse Landschapactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature conservation foundation in Drenthe. Collaborates on dredging works along the Hunze (400m section west of Gieterveen), where the excavated sandy material is processed under Het Drentse Landschap's guidance after the breeding season.
• Stichting Valthermond.nuactive engagementStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal foundation working on revitalizing the Zuiderdiep canal in Valthermond for recreational use. Waterschap Hunze en Aa's coordinates dredging of the canal to improve water flow while the foundation enhances the canal's visibility and attractiveness for recreation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wetterskip Fryslân: Dutch water board responsible for water management in the province of Fryslân. Comparable as a regional waterschap with similar statutory mandate covering flood protection, wastewater treatment, and water quality, and joint participant in FRESHEM-NL helicopter survey investments.
• Waterschap Rivierenland: Dutch water board managing water systems in Gelderland, southern Utrecht, and northern Noord-Brabant. Comparable regional waterschap with similar mandate, also a Blue Deal partner collaborating on Mali water laboratory capacity building alongside Hunze en Aa's.
• Waterschap Noorderzijlvest: Neighboring Dutch water board managing water systems in northern Groningen. Directly comparable as a regional waterschap with overlapping jurisdiction, shared collaboration on Drentsche Aa water quality, FRESHEM-NL surveys, PFAS response (Eelde), and Water Race educational programs.

Peers

• Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/waterschap
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterschap-hunze-en-aa's
• Instagraminstagram.com/hunze.en.aas
• Xx.com/hunzeenaas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waterschap Hunze en Aa's