This contribution explains the essentials of finance to fund the costs of the public water management activities in The Netherlands. Insight in costs and financing possibilities are important aspects to realise water management on national, provincial, regional and local level. Justification of the spending of public money for measures serving water related interests provides insight in the relative weight of each interest in water management issues. To give an impression of costs and financing, the most recent data are presented. In 1998, the costs of public water management by the three governing levels in The Netherlands amounted to EUR 3,173,000,0002 in total. This is 1% of the national income. Fifteen percent of the costs are spent on flood protection, 20% on quantitative water management and 65% on water quality issues. Three sources finance these issues: the general budget for 30%, the profit principle for 18% and the polluter-pays rule for 52%.