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Everyone says the same thing: "Was your house built before 1960? Then it may still have lead water pipes." GGD Haaglanden and Dunea both say exactly that — and nothing more. We wanted to know: where, exactly? So we counted. For every neighbourhood of The Hague, and for every municipality in the Haaglanden region.
In short. Of the 274,725 homes in The Hague, 39% were built before 1945 — nationally the figure is 18%. The highest odds of lead pipes are in Rustenburg en Oostbroek (96%), Valkenboskwartier (93%), Vruchtenbuurt (91%), Geuzen- en Statenkwartier (76%), Regentessekwartier (71%). In Ypenburg, Leidschenveen, Wateringse Veld and the Binckhorst (all under 1%, even before 1960) it is not an issue. A high percentage does not mean your pipe is lead; it means it is worth checking.
How we counted
The Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster) records the year of construction of every home in the country in the Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen (BAG). Statistics Netherlands (CBS) draws the neighbourhood boundaries. Lay the two on top of each other and you can count, per neighbourhood, how many homes there are and when they were built. We did that for the 41 neighbourhoods of The Hague with at least 200 homes, as of September 2026: 285,920 homes in total.
We counted two thresholds. Before 1945: pre-war construction. And before 1960: according to Dunea, lead was used until 1960, and it is the threshold that Dunea and GGD Haaglanden both use ("Was your house built before 1960? Then lead pipes may be present"). For the comparison between municipalities we used the CBS housing stock by construction period, as of 1 January 2026. As a check: CBS puts the share of pre-1945 homes for the whole of The Hague at 38.9%, our count at 36.8% — the difference lies in definitions (dwellings versus residential objects, and two small neighbourhoods without homes), not in the picture. We counted residential objects with a residential function only, without a status filter; a sample in the Centrum and the Statenkwartier shows this makes a difference of less than 1% per neighbourhood.
One thing up front, and it is not there for form's sake: the year of construction is a probability, not a measurement. Dunea says it replaced the lead pipes in the street and to the houses "years ago"; occasionally a forgotten section still turns up. So it is almost always about the pipe after the water meter. What is in the wall after the meter, only someone who looks will know. These figures say where looking is worth the effort.
The Hague by neighbourhood
At the top are three neighbourhoods where almost every house predates the war: Rustenburg en Oostbroek (96%), the Valkenboskwartier (93%) and the Vruchtenbuurt (91%). Rustenburg en Oostbroek was built between 1920 and 1940, mostly single-family homes and walk-up flats (portiekwoningen); the Vruchtenbuurt between 1928 and 1940; construction of the Valkenboskwartier began as early as 1903. Next come five neighbourhoods with between 63% and 76% pre-war homes each: the Statenkwartier (76%), the Regentessekwartier (71%), Duinoord (67%), the Zeeheldenkwartier (65%) and the Archipelbuurt (63%).
Look at the "before 1960" column too, because it shifts the picture. In the Vogelwijk 71% is pre-war, but 92% predates 1960; in the Bomen- en Bloemenbuurt it goes from 69% to 91%, in Benoordenhout from 58% to 76%. And in a number of neighbourhoods everything hinges on that second column: Moerwijk has hardly any pre-war homes (13%), but two thirds of its homes predate 1960 — well over half were built between 1945 and 1960, the years in which, according to Dunea, lead was still being used. The same goes for Morgenstond (2% versus 54%; the neighbourhood was built between 1950 and 1955) and Bohemen en Meer en Bos (6% versus 79%).
Percentages do not tell the whole story; numbers matter too. Most pre-war homes are not in the smart neighbourhoods but in Laakkwartier en Spoorwijk: 10,781 houses from before 1945, home to almost 45,000 people. Then the Valkenboskwartier (8,994), Rustenburg-Oostbroek (8,103), Scheveningen (6,202) and the Centrum (6,138). Bezuidenhout comes out lower than its reputation (45%): on 3 March 1945 a large part of the neighbourhood was destroyed by an Allied bombing raid that was aimed at V2 launch sites in the Haagse Bos but, through incorrect coordinates, hit the neighbourhood instead; much was rebuilt afterwards. In the Schildersbuurt (26%), urban renewal — begun in the 1970s, peaking in the 1980s — replaced a great deal of old housing with new. And anyone living in Ypenburg, Leidschenveen, Wateringse Veld or the Binckhorst can close this article with an easy mind: hardly any home there is older than 1960.
| Neighbourhood | Homes | Before 1945 | Before 1960 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rustenburg en Oostbroek | 8,447 | 96% | 96% | 19,045 |
| Valkenboskwartier | 9,699 | 93% | 93% | 18,530 |
| Vruchtenbuurt | 4,514 | 91% | 95% | 9,895 |
| Geuzen- en Statenkwartier | 7,454 | 76% | 81% | 14,955 |
| Regentessekwartier | 7,713 | 71% | 72% | 14,420 |
| Vogelwijk | 2,145 | 71% | 92% | 5,490 |
| Bomen- en Bloemenbuurt | 7,660 | 69% | 91% | 14,940 |
| Duinoord | 4,624 | 67% | 77% | 8,815 |
| Zeeheldenkwartier | 6,931 | 65% | 65% | 12,775 |
| Archipelbuurt | 3,747 | 63% | 66% | 6,360 |
| Van Stolkpark en Scheveningse Bosjes | 478 | 62% | 68% | 810 |
| Willemspark | 1,202 | 59% | 60% | 1,745 |
| Benoordenhout | 8,015 | 58% | 76% | 14,920 |
| Belgisch Park | 4,173 | 58% | 62% | 8,385 |
| Scheveningen | 11,188 | 55% | 57% | 19,155 |
| Duindorp | 2,910 | 54% | 60% | 5,785 |
| Transvaalkwartier | 6,166 | 46% | 47% | 16,365 |
| Bezuidenhout | 12,155 | 45% | 56% | 19,835 |
| Laakkwartier en Spoorwijk | 24,203 | 45% | 47% | 44,735 |
| Centrum | 14,062 | 44% | 46% | 22,090 |
| Zorgvliet | 411 | 43% | 53% | 720 |
| Groente- en Fruitmarkt | 1,665 | 39% | 40% | 7,355 |
| Stationsbuurt | 7,819 | 34% | 35% | 13,015 |
| Leyenburg | 8,432 | 31% | 56% | 17,040 |
| Westbroekpark en Duttendel | 1,556 | 31% | 41% | 2,405 |
| Schildersbuurt | 12,887 | 26% | 26% | 30,700 |
| Loosduinen | 8,938 | 15% | 20% | 17,930 |
| Waldeck | 10,498 | 13% | 19% | 17,760 |
| Hoornwijk | 422 | 13% | 13% | 915 |
| Moerwijk | 11,691 | 13% | 64% | 21,555 |
| Bohemen en Meer en Bos | 3,110 | 6% | 79% | 4,955 |
| Haagse Bos | 410 | 4% | 5% | 465 |
| Kijkduin en Ockenburgh | 1,907 | 3% | 4% | 3,380 |
| Mariahoeve en Marlot | 8,945 | 3% | 20% | 15,640 |
| Morgenstond | 10,728 | 2% | 54% | 20,735 |
| Wateringse Veld | 8,785 | 1% | 1% | 23,865 |
| Kraayenstein en Vroondaal | 4,328 | 1% | 1% | 9,660 |
| Leidschenveen | 7,448 | 0% | 0% | 20,465 |
| Binckhorst | 4,845 | 0% | 0% | 2,075 |
| Ypenburg | 9,760 | 0% | 0% | 26,695 |
| Bouwlust | 13,849 | 0% | 32% | 29,530 |
Homes = residential objects (verblijfsobjecten with a woonfunctie) in the BAG register of the Dutch Land Registry (Kadaster), as of September 2026, grouped by the CBS neighbourhood map 2024. Neighbourhoods with fewer than 200 homes are omitted. Percentages are rounded.
Haaglanden by municipality
Zoom out and The Hague stands out. Almost four in ten homes in the city predate the war; nationally it is fewer than one in five. Wassenaar and Leiden are in the same range. Leidschendam-Voorburg and Delft sit above the national average, Rijswijk and Voorschoten below it — there, a large share was built between 1955 and 1965 (21% and 19% of homes, against 9% nationally). Zoetermeer was designated a growth centre in 1962 and grew from around 10,000 to 100,000 residents between 1960 and 1990; pre-war homes are rare there.
| Municipality | Homes | Before 1945 | Before 1955 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hague | 274,725 | 38.9% | 44.6% |
| Wassenaar | 12,458 | 34.3% | 40.6% |
| Leiden | 65,784 | 30.3% | 34.5% |
| Leidschendam-Voorburg | 38,221 | 23.6% | 30.4% |
| Delft | 54,777 | 21.7% | 24.6% |
| Netherlands | 8,344,953 | 18.0% | 22.2% |
| Rijswijk | 29,899 | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| Voorschoten | 11,725 | 12.2% | 16.6% |
| Zoetermeer | 58,673 | 1.2% | 1.4% |
Source: CBS StatLine 82550NED (housing stock by construction period), as of 1 January 2026. The CBS periods end at 1955 and 1965; we show the conservative threshold of 1955.
What a high percentage does and does not mean
It does mean: in a neighbourhood where six in ten homes are pre-war, a lead indoor pipe is not a rarity but a real possibility. Anyone renting there would do well to look up the year of construction and check the meter cupboard. Anyone pregnant or with a baby should do that today.
It does not mean: that the water in that neighbourhood is bad. Dunea supplies the same soft water (7.9 °dH) across the whole of The Hague, well within the legal limit. Lead almost always enters only after the meter, in the pipework of the house itself. Two neighbours in the same street can therefore get completely different water from the tap — one with a renovated copper pipe, the other with the original from 1928.
How to check your own home
- Year of construction. Look up your address in the Kadaster's BAG Viewer. Before 1945: read on. 1945–1960: also. Later: then lead is almost certainly not an issue.
- Meter cupboard. Follow the pipe from the water meter. Dull grey, thick, soft, and a coin leaves a silver scratch: lead. Reddish-brown and hard: copper. White or grey plastic: nothing to worry about.
- Dunea. Unsure about the pipe at the meter? Email a clear photo of the water meter with the pipe to meldpuntlood@dunea.nl, with your name and address. Dunea assesses it per address.
- Renting? Ask the landlord in writing about the pipes and keep the answer. Replacement is the landlord's responsibility; for social housing the Huurcommissie can grant a 60% rent reduction until it is remedied. Read how to enforce that in our guide for tenants (in Dutch).
- Want certainty? Have a water sample analysed by an accredited laboratory — GGD Haaglanden names Water-Lab and Aquador. Water-Lab charges €49.80 for a lead test in an RvA-accredited laboratory. The GGD advises against shop-bought test strips.
Until the pipe is replaced
- Run the cold tap first before drinking or cooking — according to Dunea it takes about 10 seconds to flush 5 metres of pipe.
- Never use the hot tap for food or drink.
- Pregnant, a baby or a small child in the house: use other water — low-sodium bottled water or filtered water. See also tap water during pregnancy (in Dutch).
- Living in Voorburg, Leidschendam, Voorschoten or The Hague? We have separate pages for those places (in Dutch).
Frequently asked questions
Does a high percentage mean my house has lead pipes?
No. The year of construction tells you how likely it is, not what is in the wall. Many pre-war homes have been renovated, and Dunea replaced the lead service pipes in the street years ago. Treat the figures as a reason to look, not as a result.
Where do these figures come from?
From the Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen (BAG), the Dutch Land Registry's register that records the year of construction of every home, and from the CBS neighbourhood map 2024. For the municipalities we used CBS StatLine table 82550NED, as of 1 January 2026. We counted all residential objects with a woonfunctie.
Why both 1945 and 1960?
Before 1945 is pre-war construction. Before 1960 is the threshold used by Dunea and GGD Haaglanden: according to Dunea, lead was used until 1960. The two columns give a strict and a broad measure.
How do I find the year my house was built?
Look up your address in the Kadaster's BAG Viewer (bagviewer.kadaster.nl). The year of construction is listed for the building.
How do I check whether the pipe is really lead?
Look in the meter cupboard: a lead pipe is dull grey, thick and soft, and a coin scratches a silver-coloured line into it. Dunea will assess a photo of your water meter (meldpuntlood@dunea.nl). Certainty only comes from a water sample analysed by an accredited laboratory; GGD Haaglanden advises against test strips.
I rent — who has to replace the pipe?
The landlord. Lead pipes count as a defect in the home, and the Dutch building decree (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving) bans lead pipes in rental homes, with a transition period. Report it in writing. For social housing, the Huurcommissie (rent tribunal) can grant a 60% rent reduction until the defect is remedied.
What do I do until the pipe is replaced?
Run the cold tap before drinking or cooking, never use the hot tap for consumption, and for pregnant women, babies and young children use other water: low-sodium bottled water or filtered water.
What Kraanzuiver does
We rent out reverse-osmosis systems and install them ourselves, throughout the Haaglanden region. The system fits in the kitchen cupboard, removes up to 99% of lead, PFAS, nitrate and pharmaceutical residues from the water, and we maintain it and replace the filters. You rent it for €29.90 per month with a one-off €90 installation fee; the first two months are free, after which a one-year contract runs that ends automatically. For anyone living in one of the neighbourhoods at the top of the table who does not want to wait for the pipe to be replaced.
See the Slimline reverse-osmosis system or send us your question. The site is in Dutch; we are happy to answer in English.
Sources: Kadaster, Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen via PDOK (September 2026) · CBS, Wijk- en buurtkaart 2024 · CBS StatLine 82550NED, housing stock by construction period (1 January 2026) · GGD Haaglanden, Lood in kraanwater · Gezondheidsraad, Loodinname via kraanwater (2019) · Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving · Dunea, Loden leidingen and Waterhardheid · Huurcommissie, Beleidsboek Gebreken · NOS / H2O Waternetwerk, lead limit 10→5 µg/l (2022) · Water-Lab, lead test · Wikipedia (nl): Bezuidenhout, Rustenburg en Oostbroek, Valkenboskwartier, Vruchtenbuurt, Schilderswijk, Morgenstond · Gemeente Zoetermeer, Geschiedenis in een notendop. The raw counts are free to download: per neighbourhood (CSV) · per municipality (CSV) · method. Free to use with attribution.
