In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Zn(4)(C(8)H(4)O(4))(4)(C(8)H(12)N(6))(H(2)O)(4)](n), one Zn(II) atom is four-coordinated in a slightly distorted tetra-hedral geometry by two O atoms from benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate (BDC) ligands, one N atom from a 1,4-bis-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butane (BTB) ligand and one water mol-ecule, while a second Zn(II) atom is five-coordinated in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry bridged by four O atoms from BDC ligands and one water mol-ecule. The Zn(II) atoms are connected by the benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate anions and the nitro-gen ligand into layers parallel to the ac plane. The asymmetric unit consits of two crystallographically independent Zn(II) cations, two BDC anions and two water mol-ecules in general positions, as well as one-half of the BTB ligand that is completed by inversion symmetry.