A milestone in the history of Dutch water policy

The House of Representatives supports the five Delta Decisions, including the Decision on Sand, as a national frame of reference and the preferred strategies drawn up by the regions as the future course of water policy in our country. This was the outcome of the legislative consultations held on 17 November last, and of the polls last Tuesday regarding the motions tabled on the subject and last Thursday regarding the budget, including the Delta Fund budget with the appended Delta Programme 2015.

  • The new standards for safety and our physical protection, involving new standard specifications for the more than 200 stretches of dykes in the Netherlands;
  • the new freshwater strategy for drier spells and to reduce salinisation; and
  • the decision on spatial adaptation and the climate-proof design of our space,

can be fleshed out further with the support of both the Cabinet and the House, and subsequently embedded in legislation and regulations. The Safety Delta Plan and the Freshwater Delta Plan with concrete measures for the years ahead can be implemented. A task involving some 20 billion euros and some 30 years of hard work on the delta. The motions adopted by the House and the promises made by the Minister will be taken into consideration in the process.

‘Compliments to the entire delta community, that has worked on this for four years with broad-based support. We will continue to work together in order to keep the Netherlands safe and habitable in 2050 as well. Adaptive, level-headed and alert. An updated Delta Programme will be presented every year,’ Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken commented.