Subsidy for the sustainable use of rainwater - Eindhoven

Since 2019, citizens of Eindhoven in the Netherlands can apply for a subsidy when they take sustainable measures for rainwater use and storage on their private land. Eligible measures include, for example: making a green roof; uncoupling the rainwater drainage and rerouting water to be stored; reducing paved surface areas and greening gardens. The subsidy can be for single or combined measures. The subsidy was financed by the city of Eindhoven since 2019 from the tax of sewer and water management, and is 50% co-financed by the waterboard the Dommel since 2021 – meaning that the municipality and private landowners no longer incur all costs for related measures. Through the subsidy, the City of Eindhoven is able to achieve two goals: (1) to retain and process rainwater in the exact location where it hits the ground and slow down/reduce drainage to rivers or to the wastewater plant; and (2) to make the city more resilient to climate change and grow towards a more livable city. The measures contribute not only to water management (e.g. reducing pressure on the sewage system), but also help combat heat stress, improve air quality and benefit biodiversity.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Economic and fiscal instruments›Payments as rewards/for ecosystem services, subsidies, incentives

Challenges addressed

Water management (e.g. reuse)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Other, please specify

Biodiversity

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The subsidy directly finances a range of nature-based solutions, which both address water management challenges as well as urban health challenges (e.g. heat stress and poor air quality). Eligible measures include, for example: making a green roof; uncoupling the rainwater drainage and rerouting water to be stored, preferably in a swale type solution; reducing paved surface areas and greening gardens. Benefits of these measures extend to the soil health, biodiversity, and reduced energy investments in water purification due to reduced water quantities entering the wastewater plant.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Green areas for water management

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Other

Good practice characteristics:

Support multifunctional NBS

Sustainable in the long-term

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Municipality of Eindhoven

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

During the last two decades, the realization grew that climate adaption cannot be accomplished solely by the municipality on its own given that around two thirds of the area of Eindhoven is privately owned. This implies that it is not feasible to solve the climate change challenges only by implementing adaptation-related measures on public land. The municipality realized the need for citizens to join in to tackle the climate challenge. One of the ways to get people to act is through subsidies, as well as to force people who are building to include adaptation measures. The city's politicians agreed on this vision and the municipality of Eindhoven designed and implemented the subsidy.

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

In the Netherlands, subsidizing certain measures is quite common when you want parties outside of the government to take action. Over time, the conditions for obtaining the subsidy have changed a little due to questions from citizens and ideas from within the municipality. For example, the subsidy was not originally intended for uncoupling from a rainwater drainage system. However, as this uncoupling adds well to the climate robustness of Eindhoven, this measure has been added to the subsidy conditions.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Implementation of NBS (e.g. with government funds)

Feedback about the selection of subsidized measures

Targeted actors:

Private: household, real estate developer, business , financial

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public local authority’s budget

Waterboard the Dommel

Budget:

500 000 € - 1 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

Eindhoven municipality has financed the subsidy since 2019 from the tax of sewer management. From 2021 onwards, every euro the municipality spent on the subsidy will be matched for 50% by the waterboard the Dommel. For example, when a green roof is 30 square meters, the municipal subsidy for the applicant is €750 and the waterboard will donate €375 to the municipality that flows back into the sewer taxes.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Did an evaluation take place?:

Yes

There is a short evaluation conducted annually, particularly before new local policy developments.

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

Until July 2022, the municipality has received and processed 486 requests. Attention is also paid to the sustainable newsletter and an instructional film about how to uncouple the rainwater drainage and make a good water retention to be stored. With a more robust sewer system and the subsidized measures, Eindhoven has achieved less discharges to the Dommel during heavy rains and achieved a better surface water quality with substantial additional biodiversity and adaptation benefits.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The success of this subsidy can be credited to the low threshold and simplicity of applying for funding. The applicant can easily fill in a standard formular on the website and upload files with other information (like photos of before and after of the measures were applied). After a control of the provided information, the municipality decides to grant the applicant a subsidy and determines the amount of the subsidy. This also reduces the time burden, as there are no home visits or fields controls needed. Nevertheless, sometimes there is concern about the quality of the measures taken, particularly regarding measures that uncouple from the rainwater drainage and lead the rainwater to a water storage. For example, if the water storage is built like a tank on groundlevel (e.g. like a rainwater barrel), it needs a vapor when the tank is full of rainwater. If the vapor is situated directly near a house, it can release some moisture on the façade and – in extreme cases - cause mold and health problems in the home. To avoid this scenario, the municipality warns the applicant and provides tips on how to create the right vapor and infiltration system for water storage.

Sources and further information

References

Interview(s):

City of Eindhoven

Further documents

Weblinks:

https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/gmb-2019-68390.html

https://www.eindhovenduurzaam.nl/klimaatadaptatie/subsidie-aanvragen

https://www.eindhovenduurzaam.nl/klimaatadaptatie/wat-kun-je-zelf-doen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf54UQdsAUg

Photos

@Ciudad de Eindhoven