Operating the water cycle - the Dutch model. Marcel de Ruijter Dutch Water Authorities

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1 Operating the water cycle - the Dutch model Marcel de Ruijter Dutch Water Authorities DANVA annual meeting Odense, 28 th of May 2015

2 THE NETHERLANDS: THE FLOOR DRAIN OF EUROPE

3 THE NETHERLANDS: DELTA OF 4 INTERNATIONAL RIVER BASINS WHERE WATER MANAGEMENT IS A NEVER ENDING STORY Ems Rhine Scheldt Meuse

4 THE NETHERLANDS WETLANDS

5 THE NORTH SEA FLOOD OF ha flooded dead

6 THE NETHERLANDS WITHOUT DIKES 29 % below sealevel 26 % floodplains 55 % flood risk area billion euro protected value 10 million people

7 GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS: MAIN STRUCTURE European Union EU National Government (Ministry for Infrastructure and the Environment) General democracy 12 Provinces Functional democracy 393 Municipalities 23 Regional Water Authorities

8 DUTCH WATER GOVERNANCE National Government: national water policy, legal standards (flood protection, environmental standards), supervision and operational tasks for the national water infrastructure (Rijkswaterstaat) Provinces (12): regional water policy, licensing the major groundwater abstractions and supervision on Regional Water Authorities and Municipalirties Municipalities (393): sewage system, storm water collection and urban groundwater level Water companies (10): drinking water supply Regional Water Authorities (23): flood protection, water quantity and quality management, waste water treatment and musk rat and coypu control Cooperation is key

9 23 REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITIES (2.647 IN 1950)

10 REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITIES. SELF GOVERNANCE Independent government body: since 1122 own legal power own tax system own elections Only water management tasks: flood protection ( km) surface water quantity ( km) pumping stations surface water quality waste water treatment Musk rat and coypu control ( captures per year)

11 WASTEWATER TREATMENT 340 wastewater treatment plants Coverage sewage treatment 99% Urban waste water treatment 99.9% Reuse and energy production Cooperation with municipalities

12 TAXATION BY REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITIES Min. Total Gross Tax Revenue Covers 95% of all water management costs. Max. 2.6 billion in 2015 ± 1.34 billion Flood protection, Surface Water Management ± 1.26 billion Waste Water Treatment Interest Pay - Say Polluter pays

13 DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION Stakeholder democracy: o Residents o Industries o Farmers/landowners o Nature conservation Interest pay-say Every 4 years elections for residents Other stakeholders are appointed Recent election: 18 th March 2015, turn-out of 43%

14 COOPERATION IN THE WASTEWATER CHAIN Administrative Agreement on Water Affairs in 2011 between all governments; shared ambition and goals. Intensive cooperation between municipalities and regional water authorities national level between umbrella organisations regional level (50 regions); interdisciplinary teams Focus on common issues: cost reduction, water quality and vulnerability Shared vision on wastewater management; Roadmap towards 2030 (reuse and energy production) External Water Chain Visitation Commission Only one example of cooperation. Various other examples on the national, regional and local level. Also with companies and knowledge institutes.

15 STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME MEETS WHY? HENCE: A mirror: self-conscious, but willing to improve performance Changing socio-political context: financial constraints and increasing political volatility Independent reflection. Global perspective by high-level think-tank and independent peer reviewers Setting future agenda

16 STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME THE RESULTS (MARCH 2014) Rewarding: Excellent track record Global reference for water management Robust and adjustable institutional and policy framework Positive on intergovernmental agreements Positive on Water Chain Visitation Commission Fit for the future? : YES but: Awareness gap Relation Water Management and Spatial Planning Strengthen polluter/user pays Higher ambition on water quality policy

17 SEE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND COOPERATION: WATER GOVERNANCE. THE DUTCH WATER AUTHORITY MODEL, DUTCH WATER AUTHORITIES, THE HAGUE 2015, BROCHURE DUTCH WATER AUTHORITIES, REQUESTS FOR COOPERATION,

18 THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION Hansje Brinker, American fairy-tale Johannes Vermeer, View of Delft th of April 2015