I guess one could argue that it is technically "free" for personal use, as tap water is (1 cubic meter (1000 litres) in the Netherlands is about net cost .87€ [

I guess one could argue that it is technically "free" for personal use, as tap water is (1 cubic meter (1000 litres) in the Netherlands is about net cost .87€ [0]) if one is not trying to abuse it for a agricultural hobby, a private swimming hall etc. than it actually gets expensive very quick; in the case of a unregistered pipe break (incentivizing inspections) extraordinarily so. The "price" is for ensuring fair use (on such a big scale)/registering the influx; yes, 1€ could also do the trick but in the case of DB AG we are talking about an highly over-bureaucratized ... so one order of magnitude higher and you arrive at the current pricing. [0]https://www.waternet.nl/en/veelgestelde-vragen/tap-water/what-does-a-cubic-metre-of-tap-water-cost/ https://www.waternet.nl/en/veelgestelde-vragen/tap-water/wha...