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Living in Waterloo

In Waterloo, the median rent tenants pay is €1,400 a month (2025).

Waterloo had 30,386 residents at the start of 2026 and is a city in Belgium. At the start of 2026, the foreign population was 5,522. Gigabit broadband availability was 99.7% in June 2025.

Last checked 2026-09-2333 sources

Population30,386people1 Jan 2026Official source · Belgium official denominator source
Median gross salary (region)3,540EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022
Median rent1,400EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate7.85%country median 5.3% — 47% aboveIndependent source · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011
Recorded crime6,394offences per 100,000country median 5,167 — 24% aboveIndependent source · Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025
PM2.5, annual mean6.77µg/m³country median 7.4 — 9% belowOfficial source · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31

Higher unemployment than 69% of Belgian cities that publish it and more recorded crime than 70% of Belgian cities that publish it.

Which Belgium-wide rules apply when you move to Waterloo?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Waterloo recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited59.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Internet Go13Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi14Official · national market
G05 Main Residential Dwellings12,233 dwellings31 Dec 2021Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics — Statistics Belgium)17Official
Median monthly rent1,400 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official

Is Waterloo a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker40%strong on work, weak on safety · range 32–48%
Skilled employee58%strong on work, weak on education · range 49–67%
Student38%strong on cost, weak on education · range 28–48%
Family41%strong on family, weak on education · range 32–50%
Retirement35%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 25–45%

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 7.85% at the start of 2011.

What is the unemployment rate in Waterloo?

The unemployment rate is about 7.9 % (January 2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 7.85 % · Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201129
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Waterloo is 7.9%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings3,794 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202215Official · regional context
Gigabit broadband availability99.71 %Jun 2025BIPT/IBPT fixed broadband Atlas municipality row: H_rate_1000 is the share of households with access to fixed broadband at a maximum attainable speed of at least 1,000 Mbps; availability, not subscribed plan or measured speed. H_1000 is the covered-household count and total_households is the denominator.3Official
Median gross salary (regional)3,540 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202216Official · regional context
Unemployment rate7.85 %country median 5.3%1 Jan 2011Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 201129Independent

What does a salary buy in Waterloo?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €3,540 (Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€902of €2,412 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€2,412
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 · 2025-12-31− €1,400
Internet€60 · official · Proximus Internet Go · 2026-09-30− €60
Mobile plan€50 · official · Proximus Mobile Maxi · 2026-09-30− €50
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€902
Take-home pay for other salaries and households

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Waterloo. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Actiris — Public employment service

Actiris Brussels public employment service

Job Search

Le Forem — Public employment service

Le Forem Walloon public employment and training service

Job SearchRegistration

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Waterloo. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Waterloo?

Police recorded about 6,394 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 6,394 offences per 100,000 · Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 202523
Recorded crime across major citiesWaterloo highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Waterloo highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Brussels24,104
Liège17,918
Charleroi14,026
Leuven12,730
Ghent12,110
Anderlecht11,116
Schaerbeek10,141
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean10,075
Hasselt9,031
Namur8,912
Brugge8,780
Waterloo6,394
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents6,394 offences per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2025Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 202523Independent

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport146 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights11Official
Nearest airportBRU3 Aug 2026OurAirports12Official
Distance to nearest airport22 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports12Official

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 6.77 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Annual NO₂ was 9.98 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Is the air quality good in Waterloo?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 6.77 µg/m³ · Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3110
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in BelgiumAnnual PM2.5 in Waterloo is 6.8 µg/m³. Of 442 cities with data, 142 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean9.98 µg/m³country median 9.031 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 11055; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-318Official
PM10 — annual mean12.18 µg/m³country median 13.131 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 13019; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-319Official
PM2.5 — annual mean6.77 µg/m³country median 7.431 Dec 2024Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-3110Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 6.1 · Feb 7.1 · Mar 10.9 · Apr 15 · May 18.4 · Jun 21.2 · Jul 23.2 · Aug 23 · Sep 19.5 · Oct 14.9 · Nov 9.9 · Dec 6.6 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv22Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.4 · Feb 1.5 · Mar 3.5 · Apr 6 · May 9.2 · Jun 12 · Jul 14.1 · Aug 13.9 · Sep 11.3 · Oct 8.1 · Nov 4.6 · Dec 2.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv22Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.7 · Feb 4.2 · Mar 7.1 · Apr 10.4 · May 13.9 · Jun 16.7 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 18.4 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 11.3 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 4.3 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv22Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 75.5 · Feb 65.1 · Mar 59.3 · Apr 46.7 · May 59.7 · Jun 70.8 · Jul 76.9 · Aug 86.5 · Sep 65.3 · Oct 67.8 · Nov 76.2 · Dec 87.4 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv22Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 59.1 · Feb 72.9 · Mar 125.8 · Apr 171.3 · May 198.3 · Jun 199.3 · Jul 203.2 · Aug 192.4 · Sep 154.5 · Oct 112.6 · Nov 65.8 · Dec 48.6 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv22Official · nearest-station reading
Annual PM2.5 over time11 published observations, 2014–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 60.2% between 2014 and 2024, from 17.0 to 6.8.

Population and city profile

The city covered 21.3 km² in 2025. Population density was 1,424.9 people per km² in 2026.

How many people live in Waterloo?

The published population was 30,386 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source2

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area21.32 km²1 Jan 2025Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2.5Official
Foreign-resident share18.6 %31 Dec 2025Statbel (Statistics Belgium)18Official
Foreign residents5,522 people1 Jan 2026Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row.6Official
Population density1,425 people/km²1 Jan 2026Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column.7Official
Population30,386 people1 Jan 2026Belgium official denominator source2Official

International community in Waterloo

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

All persons in Statbel Census 2021 municipality rows; the published male and female category rows are summed to total sex · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population30,379100.0%
Born in Belgium22,56174.3%
Born in a non-EU country4,16613.7%
Born in another EU member state3,64412.0%
Not indicated80.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source21

Citizenship

All persons in Statbel Census 2021 municipality rows; the published male and female category rows are summed to total sex · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total population30,379100.0%
Belgian nationality24,91982.0%
Foreign nationality: other EU member state3,96813.1%
Foreign nationality: non-EU country1,4754.9%
Not indicated170.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source19

Ancestry or ethnicity

All persons in the Statbel 2021-01-01 municipal origin publication · 2021-01-01

Published groupPeopleShare
Total Belgian with foreign origin7,66825.2%
Total population30,379100.0%
Total population — born in Belgium22,56174.3%
Belgian of Belgian origin — total17,25156.8%
Belgian of Belgian origin — born in Belgium16,44154.1%
Total population — born outside Belgium7,81825.7%
Non-Belgian — total5,46018.0%
Total Belgian with foreign origin — born in Belgium5,19317.1%
Non-Belgian — born outside Belgium4,53314.9%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — total3,47011.4%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — total3,11610.3%
Show 10 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born in Belgium2,9269.6%
Total Belgian with foreign origin — born outside Belgium2,4758.1%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born outside Belgium2,2427.4%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality foreign — born in Belgium1,2284.0%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — total1,0823.6%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born in Belgium1,0393.4%
Non-Belgian — born in Belgium9273.1%
Belgian of Belgian origin — born outside Belgium8102.7%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, one parent foreign — born outside Belgium1900.6%
Foreign-origin Belgian, first nationality Belgian, two parents foreign — born outside Belgium430.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source20

Alternatives for people set on Waterloo

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Beersel as a Waterloo alternative in the same region

7 km away, better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 3.8% Beersel vs 7.9% Waterloo−51%
  • Foreign residents: 13.0% Beersel vs 18.6% Waterloo−30%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 5,286 (2024) Beersel vs 6,394 (2025) Waterloono percentage
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,711 Beersel vs €3,540 Waterloo+5%
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.3 µg/m³ Beersel vs 6.8 µg/m³ Waterloo+7%
  • Residents: 26,800 Beersel vs 30,386 Waterloo−12%
  • Nearest airport: 20.0 km Beersel vs 22.0 km Waterloo−9%

Cities near Waterloo

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

La Hulpe 7.3 km away
Rent
1,250 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Beersel 7.4 km away
Rent
1,100 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Lasne 8.0 km away
Rent
1,460 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31

Alternative cities in Belgium

Other cities in Belgium to compare with Waterloo, nearest in population first.

All Belgium cities

How does Waterloo compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Waterloo's.

Waterloo in rankings

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Waterloo when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 18. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: OKAN/OKATN (onthaalonderwijs, reception education for foreign-mother-tongue newcomers). How to enrol a child (belgium.be).

A country-wide rule for Belgium; Waterloo's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Is Waterloo part of Mechelen?

Waterloo is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. Mechelen city profile

Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source4

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Waterloo?

The published population was 30,386 people in January 2026. Source: Belgium official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Waterloo?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 6.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31.

How safe is Waterloo?

Police recorded about 6,394 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025.

What is the unemployment rate in Waterloo?

The unemployment rate is about 7.9 % (January 2011). Source: Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011.

What is the typical salary around Waterloo?

The median gross salary is 3,540 EUR/month. Source: Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022.

How many foreign residents live in Waterloo?

5,522 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row..

Is Waterloo a good place to live?

Waterloo may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Waterloo part of Mechelen?

Waterloo is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.

Which cities are near Waterloo?

Sint-Genesius-Rode, Alsemberg, Dworp, Ohain, La Hulpe are near Waterloo. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Born in another EU member state live in Waterloo?

The official country of birth distribution records 3,644 people (12.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021-01-01. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 29). Waterloo, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 4a339fb1059f7b9c16a22e0e519a36ae]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/waterloo/ Retrieved 2026-09-29. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_waterloo-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_b1d6a6aa96fe,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Waterloo, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-29},
  version = {4a339fb1059f7b9c16a22e0e519a36ae},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/waterloo/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-29. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Waterloo, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/waterloo/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 4a339fb1059f7b9c16a22e0e519a36ae; retrieved 2026-09-29; built 2026-09-29.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 opendata.fin.belgium.be · checked 2026-09-23
  2. Belgium official denominator source statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-14
  3. BIPT/IBPT fixed broadband Atlas municipality row: H_rate_1000 is the share of households with access to fixed broadband at a maximum attainable speed of at least 1,000 Mbps; availability, not subscribed plan or measured speed. H_1000 is the covered-household count and total_households is the denominator. bipt-data.be · checked 2026-07-15
  4. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  5. Official cadastral total area by municipality; 2025 superficie totale (ha), converted to km2. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2025-01-01
  6. Official population by nationality at municipality grain; foreign population is TOTAL minus Belgique in the TOTAL row. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  7. Official resident population by Belgian municipality on 1 January 2026; Total column. statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-01-01
  8. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 11055; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
  9. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 13019; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
  10. Official RIO v2025 annual mean derived from daily population-weighted municipality concentrations for NIS5 62093; period 2024-01-01..2024-12-31 ftp.irceline.be · checked 2024-12-31
Show 23 more sources
  1. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  2. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  3. Proximus Internet Go proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  4. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  5. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  6. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  7. Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics — Statistics Belgium) Statbel (Directorate-general Statistics · statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-07
  8. Statbel (Statistics Belgium) statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-03
  9. Statbel, Belgian statistical office statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-30
  10. Statbel, Belgian statistical office ancestry_or_ethnicity statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-29
  11. Statbel, Belgian statistical office country_of_birth statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-29
  12. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station UCCLE_06447.csv WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  13. Belgian Federal Police — recorded total offences by municipality, Q4 2025 Belgian Federal Police · police.be · checked 2026-07-26
  14. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  15. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  16. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  17. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Statbel be.STAT — unemployment rate of 15–64-year-olds by municipality, Census 2011 Statbel be.STAT · bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-07-26
  20. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q179034 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  21. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q670407 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  22. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q678158 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  23. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q692168 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.