Water management in the Netherlands

Water management in the Netherlands is provided by various organisations. Each with their own expertise, tasks and responsibilities. European frameworks apply in some cases, national frameworks in other cases. As you know, water management has three important themes: quality, safety and quantity. The water quality standards are based on the European Water Framework Directive, or WFD. This directive stipulates that the waters form a good habitat for plants and animals that belong there. The directive states that water must be clean and healthy, that the ecology must be in balance and that no harmful substances may end up in the water. This European directive is the starting point for water quality management in the Netherlands. Flood risk management is about the risk of a dike breach or a flood. There are national standards for this, which have been established by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Policy for water quantity, or care for dry feet, has been included in the Administrative Agreement on Water. This stipulates that measures must be taken to control flooding in urban areas. Water boards and municipalities work closely together on this. Together they are responsible for the transport and treatment of waste water… and the management of ponds and ponds in the city.

Rijkswaterstaat is responsible for implementing the WFD measures in the main water system. Rijkswaterstaat is the executive organization of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. This organization manages the national waters, including the major rivers, the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. In addition to monitoring water quality, Rijkswaterstaat also ensures water safety by protecting the Netherlands against high water with dykes, dams, weirs and storm surge barriers. In addition, Rijkswaterstaat monitors the water levels of the national waters and ensures that they do not become too high. The smaller bodies of water, such as lakes, canals and streams, are managed by the local water boards. Water boards are independent executive organizations that are supervised by the provinces, just like municipalities. The water boards have the same tasks and responsibilities for the smaller waters as Rijkswaterstaat for the national waters. The water boards work on good water quality, safe dikes and monitor the water level of lakes, streams, canals and small rivers in the regional waters. The care for clean water and protection against flooding is therefore a shared responsibility of water boards and Rijkswaterstaat. Provinces, municipalities and water companies also play a role in water management in the Netherlands. The provinces take care of regional policy, regional flood defenses and, for example, grant permits for groundwater extraction. Municipalities are responsible for groundwater management in urban areas and the drainage of rainwater and wastewater via the sewer system. Water companies ensure the production and distribution of drinking water within their delivery area.

With the construction of the Afsluitdijk in 1927, the government took the first major measure to better protect the country against flooding. After the flood disaster of 1953, large-scale work was carried out in the Netherlands on the reinforcement of the dikes. This so-called Delta Plan was only completed in 2010 when the closure of the Keermuur in Harlingen was taken into use. In the last century, agreements were made about the height of the dikes and the management of the coast. But now, 50 years later, circumstances are different: Sea levels are rising and this may accelerate. The result is that the waves become higher and the force on the dunes and dikes increases; Due to continuous drainage, the former peat extraction and as a result of mining works, the soil in large parts of the country has subsided and will continue to settle. For mining works, think of natural gas extraction in Groningen and salt extraction in Friesland. The number of rainy periods is increasing and it will rain harder. The temperature is rising. Moreover, the consequences of a flood are greater now than fifty years ago. More people now live in the Netherlands, so there will be more victims in the event of a flood than before. Almost 60% of the Netherlands can be flooded. The largest cities are also located in that area. Part of that area is the economic center of the Netherlands. Proper protection against flooding is therefore essential. This concerns flooding from the sea as well as from rivers and lakes. In 2017, new standards were therefore set for primary flood defenses. Dykes that do not meet these new standards must be reinforced or raised. In this way they can also provide sufficient safety against flooding in the future.

The Netherlands is looking ahead and is already working on good flood risk management for the period after 2050. Anticipating the consequences of climate change is brought together in the Delta Programme. The legal agreements on this are included in the Delta Act. Every year on Prinsjesdag, the policy for the coming years and the progress of the implementation work are presented. The aim is for flood risk management, freshwater supplies and spatial planning to be climate-proof and water-robust by 2050. In this way, our country can continue to resiliently cope with the greater extremes of the climate. This time no measures are taken after a disaster, but we try to prevent a disaster. What is unique about the Delta Program is that employees from different organizations sit around the table together and come up with solutions to keep the Netherlands safe and dry. Think of Rijkswaterstaat, water boards, provinces, municipalities, social organizations, organizations for nature management and recreation. It is always looking for links of functions. For example, a dike can be perfectly combined with a cycle path and a water storage area can also be opened up as a recreation or nature reserve. In addition to primary flood defenses, the Delta Program also pays explicit attention to the consequences of climate change in urban areas. Water boards and municipalities are jointly responsible for ensuring dry feet in cities and villages. Across the country, they are now working on the so-called climate stress test, to determine which parts of the urban area are at risk of flooding during heavy rain. Together with companies and residents, they look for solutions.