Dutchwatersector.com

04/08/2025

♻️ 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

This summer, Dutch festival Zwarte Cross turned climate challenges into opportunities 💡

Through project WijWater, Dutch water sector partners and government bodies used the event as a real-life laboratory for circular water solutions.

With over 275,000 visitors, the festival tested:

🔹 Smart drainage
🔹 Water-saving technologies
🔹 Decentralised treatment
🔹 Nutrient recovery
🔹 Rainwater harvesting

Zwarte Cross showed that festivals can act as ‘𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺’ – miniature societies where technical and social innovation can be trialled in practice.

The insights gained offer valuable input for scaling circular water solutions across urban, agricultural, and industrial settings.

👉 Read the full article: https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/festivals-as-laboratories-for-future-proof-water-management-the-wijwater-project-at-zwarte

24/07/2025

🌊𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜 🌍
As sea levels rise and coastal risks grow, faster and more accurate monitoring is essential, not just in the Netherlands, but worldwide.

This news article on http://Dutchwatersector.com spotlights the promising role of AI-powered models in monitoring and classifying coastal zones. The research was carried out by Hugo de Heer as part of his master’s thesis at TU Delft, in collaboration with Deltares.

𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 (𝗠𝗟𝗟𝗠𝘀) combine satellite imagery with AI-generated insights to support engineers, planners, and policymakers, from the Dutch delta to West Africa and the Pacific.

📖 Read how this research bridges geoscience, AI, and global water management:
👉 https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/ai-driven-coastal-monitoring-exploring-new-tools-for-dutch-and-global-water-management

The Dutch coastline has long been regarded as a reference for coastal defence and integrated water management. Yet, as sea levels rise and climate risks intensify, many countries are facing similar challenges. Smarter and faster monitoring is becoming increasingly important, not only in the Netherla...

17/07/2025

💧 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝗼 > 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟯𝗥 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 & 𝗥𝗲𝘂𝘀𝗲 🌍

🌱 In Burkina Faso, over 9 million hectares of land are degraded. Desertification threatens lives and livelihoods. But local communities in Burkina Faso are turning the tide, together with World Waternet, Agriterra and AUXFIN.

Through the ECDD-GIRE programme, and using the 3R approach (Retention, Recharge, Reuse), they are reclaiming degraded land with nature-based solutions: 🌿 stone bunds, rainwater basins, filter dikes and dune-stabilising plants like Euphorbia Balsamifera.

💪 This is local partnership in action, turning dry land into living landscapes.

🔗 Read the full story on Dutchwatersector.com: https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/water-as-a-lifeline-tackling-desertification-in-burkina-faso-through-local-partnerships-and

11/07/2025

🌱 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗸: 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮 🇮🇩 🇳🇱
On the northern coast of Central Java, the Demak region has been facing serious problems due to land subsidence, sea-level rise, coastal erosion and the loss of mangrove forests. Traditional coastal defences such as seawalls and breakwaters turned out to be costly, difficult to maintain, and not effective in the long term.

The Building with Nature Indonesia programme introduced a new approach by using natural systems to protect the coast. With the help of permeable wooden structures placed along the shoreline, sediment could settle and mangrove forests were able to grow back. This helped reduce flooding and created more stable conditions for the local communities.

A broad partnership was involved, including Indonesian ministries, local authorities, NGOs, and the local population, as well as Dutch organisations such as Witteveen+Bos, Deltares, WUR, IHE Delft, and TU Delft. The project was co-funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Sustainable Water Fund.

Since the start of the project, communities like Surodadi village have seen improvements in coastal protection, restored livelihoods, and better awareness of sustainable water management.

👉 Read more: https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/turning-the-tide-in-demak-dutch-expertise-supports-nature-based-solutions-in-indonesia
🎥 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtOyyTaLY3E

The northern coast of Demak in Central Java is under severe pressure from a combination of land subsidence, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and the clearing of mangrove forests for aquaculture. These forces have led to frequent tidal flooding and the displacement of communities, with traditional co...

03/07/2025

The Ocean Cleanup launches 30 Cities Program 🌊

The mission of The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch NGO founded in 2013, is to remove waste – especially plastic – before it enters the oceans. After successful projects in 20 cities, the organisation announced at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference that it is now starting the 30 Cities Programme in Asia, North and South America.

This new phase builds on earlier work but goes further: with updated Interceptor technology and a broader city-wide approach, aiming to clean all urban waterways. Cities like Bangkok, Jakarta, Los Angeles and Panama City are already on the list.

It all started in Rotterdam – a strong example of Dutch water innovation with global impact. 🌍

👉 Read the full story: https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/the-ocean-cleanups-new-30-cities-programme



Photos ©The Ocean Cleanup

26/06/2025

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: 𝐚 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐩
For centuries, both Japan and the Netherlands have battled water. From typhoons to floods and rising seas, water has shaped both nations. In the late 19th century, Japan invited Dutch engineers – known as 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘯 – to help modernise its water infrastructure. Together, they built dams, canals, levees and ports across the country.

💧 Now, for the first time, this unique piece of shared history is brought together in ‘Waterworks’:
🗺️ The world’s first interactive multimedia map featuring 50+ historical water projects designed with Dutch expertise.

Each location on the map includes images, historical context, engineering insights, and immersive soundscapes – from flowing water and underwater life to peaceful Japanese instrumental music. A poetic and sensory journey through Japan’s water landscape, shaped by international cooperation.

📍 Waterworks premiered at the Netherlands Pavilion during Expo 2025 Osaka (April–May) and drew wide interest. The next presentation takes place at the SOUND FOREST | Pulse Echoes event in Tokyo (28 June), where the map and its music will be experienced live.

🎧 Initiated by Field Records, supported by Creative Industries Fund NL and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan.

🔗 Read more and explore the map: https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/the-worlds-first-interactive-multimedia-map-celebrating-centuries-old-water-projects

Japan has long experienced natural phenomena such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis. In the late 1800s, at Japan’s request, the Dutch contributed to the development of the country’s water management infrastructure by building dams, levees, reservoirs, and canals. More than 50 of the...

24/06/2025

🌱 Better irrigation systems and seed storage capacity for Burundian farmers

The Private Seed Sector Development (PSSD) project, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 🇳🇱, has significantly contributed to improving agricultural productivity and incomes for nearly 180,000 farming households in Burundi. By establishing a commercially viable value chain for food seeds, the project has laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth in the sector.

🚀 The initiative has now entered its second phase - PSSD2 - with the ambition to support over 220,000 farming households by December 2026, further expanding the reach and impact of the programme.

🌾 PSSD1 achieved key milestones, including the construction of irrigation infrastructure and modern seed storage facilities, strengthening the resilience and capacity of the agricultural sector.

🌟 The impact to date includes:
✔️ A threefold increase in seed production, from 103 to over 300 tonnes annually
✔️ 593 jobs created, 51% of which are held by women
✔️ Enhanced seed storage capacity, significantly reducing post-harvest losses
✔️ Improved access to clean water for local communities
✔️ Strengthened food security and improved livelihoods for farming families

With the continued support of the Dutch Embassy in Burundi, PSSD2 is scaling up successful interventions and advancing a more competitive and sustainable seed sector, empowering farmers and contributing to long-term food security.

ℹ️ Read on https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/better-irrigation-systems-and-seed-storage-capacity-for-burundian-farmers

The agricultural landscape in Burundi is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by the Private Seed Sector Development (PSSD) project. Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burundi, this project has been instrumental in boosting the production and incomes of nearly 180,0...

30/05/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞. 💡

, an acronym of Power of Nature Based Design, is an innovative solution that shows that water is a living being that needs to be taken care of. This first-of-a kind innovation consists of floating lamps with sensors that register the quality of the water and translate the information into coloured lights when the sun sets.

POND can serve as a valuable tool in addressing water pollution, providing data that supports informed maintenance strategies, enabling faster predictions, and facilitating proactive, preventive action.

Curious where this groundbreaking tech will be trialed? See below which four Dutch municipalities made the list!

The world’s first floating lights give water a voice, conveying its quality through colours and patterns as the sun sets. This innovative solution is called POND and it is powered by microbial fuel cell technology.POND will be deployed in four Dutch municipalities in its trial phase, generating cl...

26/05/2025

𝐀 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞-𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫.

🎯 The Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project expects to meet the water demands of about 4 million people by the end of 2028. 🚰

The Netherlands has committed a grant of EUR 31 million to this project, reaffirming its commitment to supporting Jordan’s water security and sustainable development. 🇳🇱🇯🇴

This substantial contribution will be provided through Invest International, and managed by the European Investment Bank’s Water Sector Fund. In a recent visit to Aqaba, Harry Verweij, the Dutch Ambassador to Jordan, had the opportunity to visit the intake site of the Aqaba-Amman project and hear about the progress made to date as well as the next steps.

🗨️ “I was glad to visit the site in Aqaba personally to get a good sense of how the intake and desalination plant will be designed, as well as to underscore the Dutch commitment to this vital project for Jordan’s future water security,” Ambassador Verweij.

Embassy of the Netherlands in Jordan

With less than 100 cubic metres of water per person per year, Jordan is implementing sustainable water solutions against water scarcity. The Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project intends to enhance water supply across Jordan by desalinating water from the Red Sea.In a reaffirmation o...

20/05/2025

𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 🪸🐟

The ‘Rotterdam Reef’, a modular reef structure consisting of 17 three metre long and six tonne concrete blocks proves that infrastructure development and nature restoration can go hand in hand. Two years after its installation, the artificial reef has notably enhanced the Port of Rotterdam’s busiest shipping channel, giving rise to greater species diversity, cleaner water, and a stronger ecosystem.

Leon Haines, Co-founder and CTO of Reefy, explained that "This project proves that nature and infrastructure can truly strengthen each other. The reef blocks are a sustainable, scalable solution for water safety and ecological restoration. We are ready to scale the technology globally and are already working on projects ranging from rivers in the Netherlands to the tropical Caribbean in Mexico!"

🤝Project partners: Reefy, Boskalis, Gemeente Rotterdam and Rijkswaterstaat

Two years after installing an artificial reef using reef blocks in the Port of Rotterdam to reduce the impact of heavy waves and foster a rich underwater landscape, the project has proven that infrastructure development and nature restoration can go hand in hand.The reef blocks have notably enhanced...

11/04/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐫 🇳🇱🇲🇲

In the wake of the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and the surrounding region on Friday, 28 March, the death toll has risen to over 3,500, according to publicly available figures, with thousands more injured and hundreds still missing. Humanitarian workers on the ground have reported that in the hardest-hit regions, urgent needs for shelter, medical supplies, and clean water remain critical. In response to this dire situation, the Netherlands swiftly deployed emergency aid to support the affected communities.

The Dutch Relief Alliance initiated an 𝐀𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 with a funding of three million euros from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken). Partners in this joint effort, including World Vision Nederland, Stichting Vluchteling, ZOA, CARE Nederland, Cordaid, and Tearfund Nederland, along with local partners, are launching coordinated emergency relief efforts across Myanmar. To reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, they are distributing bottled water and water purification sachets to affected communities, and are providing practical training to ensure safe and effective use. 🚰

Other relief efforts include the participation of two Dutch disaster specialists, an information management expert and a logistics specialist, in a humanitarian response at the EU level. Their work will focus on assessing access to affected regions and organising logistics and transportation to ensure timely delivery of aid. 🚚

In addition, the Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support Programme is contributing to the response efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO) with a expert. 💧

Read more 👇

In the wake of the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and the surrounding region on Friday, 28 March, the Netherlands swiftly deployed emergency aid to support the affected communities.

08/04/2025

The Netherlands is strengthening its river systems with the launch of 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟐.𝟎, a forward-thinking programme designed to ensure the country's rivers are ready for the challenges posed by climate change.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞:

🔹 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 – ensuring rivers can manage heavy rainfall and prevent flooding.
🔹 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 – supporting shipping routes vital to the economy.
🔹 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 – safeguarding essential water supplies.
🔹 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 – preserving diverse habitats for wildlife.
🔹 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 – balancing river needs with economic growth and spatial quality.

As climate change brings more extreme weather, the challenge of balancing water management grows. The Room for the River 2.0 programme is a collaborative effort between the government, regional authorities, and stakeholders to adapt river systems for the future.

🗨️ We see in the climate scenarios that the rivers are increasingly having a hard time due to the increasing weather extremes. In periods of heavy rainfall, they must be able to discharge more water. At the same time, dry periods are increasing, leading to lower water levels more often. It is good that we are now taking steps towards a future-proof river system. I am enthusiastic about the approach, in which the national government and regions are working together to ensure the rivers can adapt to the new circumstances. | Delta Commissioner Co Verdaas

Looking ahead, the redesign of river areas will involve allocating additional space for rivers and exploring strategies to prevent erosion and ensure year-round functionality. Key decisions will be made by 2026.

The Netherlands is taking a significant step toward securing a resilient and future-proof river system with the launch of the Room for the River 2.0 programme. This initiative is designed to ensure the sustainability of the Dutch river area, preparing it for the challenges posed by climate change an...