DUTCH PRACTICES IN STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT

摘要

In Dutch water management waterschappen (water boards) play a key role since the centuries. Basic tasks of water boards concern flood protection and drainage. In the last decades, water boards have additional executive powers in water quality management and treatment of urban wastewater. Water boards in the Netherlands are public authorities, functioning within the general governmental structure, under supervision of provinces. Water boards have legal powers and their own taxation structure. The basis has always been that those who have interest in the task of a water board (stakeholders) pays accordingly. And secondly, stakeholders elect their representatives in the water boards assembly. Although, the application of this concept has evoluted over the centuries, the principles have remained intact. The last 50 years have seen an intensive merging process taking place. The number of water boards reduced from about 2,500 to 27. In this up scaling, the size of water boards increased and the professionalism improved. However, the distance between stakeholders and management institution increased, leading to lower involvement of stakeholders. The paper describes the Dutch water board model and current developments to bring stakeholders and water boards closer to each other.