Water board elections: water quality crisis ten times greater than that of nitrogen, says professor

The water quality stalemate in the Netherlands could lead to a crisis ten times greater than the current nitrogen crisis. That's according to Piet Verdonschot, a professor of Restoration Management of Surface Water, ahead of the water board elections on March 15. By 2027, the Netherlands must comply with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), but Verdonschot says we're still a long way off. "We are playing with fire."

The Netherlands was originally supposed to meet these directives in 2015, but was given a delay until 2027. Failure to meet the environmental targets could have major implications for the licensing of companies that withdraw or discharge water, regulations on manure and the use of chemicals in agriculture. “At the national level, there could be far-reaching consequences for individual projects and decisions," Environment Minister Harbers said last year about the European water targets.

"The core tasks of water boards are water quality (clean water), water quantity management, and wastewater treatment plants," said the professor from the University of Amsterdam and Wageningen University. "In recent years, water boards have neglected their tasks and responsibilities in this area."

For example, sewage treatment plants themselves have been partly responsible for polluting surface waters, and the management of water boards has been too focused on agriculture, Verdonschot said. "About water quality, people have thought, 'Oh, it'll come back,'" he said.

Verdonschot is therefore wary of parties like the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), which is running in all 21 water boards for the first time in this election. The party wants to represent rural residents on the water board, in addition to the two permanent seats already reserved for agricultural representatives. "On the subject of the BBB, I think:now inform yourself about the agreements that have been made. If we continue to do what we have always been doing, we will build up an even bigger debt that we will have to pay off later. Besides, all life depends on good water quality. If you don't care about that, then you shouldn't join the water board."

He hopes voters will be well-informed about what the parties plan to do about water quality before the upcoming water council elections. "We've really let it slide for a long time. If we want better welfare, we need to start making decisions about the water board now."

The general water board has between 18 and 30 seats. This water board election is the first time more seats are available for elected directors because of a change in the law. Last November, legislation was passed that eliminated permanent seats on water boards that were previously reserved for business. This frees up three to five seats per water board for elected directors. However, four reserved seats remain for organizations that advocate for agriculture and nature.