A day full of inspiration, new insights, stories, encounters. During the Dutch Water Authorities’ Network Day on 23 March, the water authorities gathered at Villa Jongerius in Utrecht to reflect on the importance of international work. The full breadth of this work, from governance to the power of communities and the future of water management, came together just one day after World Water Day.
Setting the course in a changing world
The day began with a meeting for water authority executives, chaired by Luzette Kroon, Board Member International of the Dutch Water Authorities. Two external experts shared their views on the changing international context. Ben Bekkering (former Head of the Permanent Military Representation to NATO and Senior Associate at the Clingendael Institute) outlined how geopolitical relations are shifting. Conflicts, climate change and pressure on water resources are increasing the need for collaboration. He emphasised that stability and water management are becoming ever more intertwined.
Next, Renske Steenbergen (Deputy Director, VNG International) offered insights into how municipalities and water authorities work together internationally. She reflected on how we can organise international work so that it aligns with our core tasks while remaining agile in a rapidly changing world. The morning concluded with a discussion on how both experts’ pitches could feed into the continuing development of the DWA vision.
Plenary programme: from drinkable rivers to global cooperation

Moderator and DWA Coordinator Piebe Hoeksma opened the plenary session with around 150 participants, followed by a reflection from Luzette Kroon on an intensive international year. Currently, more than 250 Dutch water authority professionals are involved in international water projects. It’s clear that the European context is increasingly embedded in the DNA of the water authorities, and water is and remains internationally relevant.
The Dutch water authorities have much to offer their international partners. A strong example from the past year was the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, where 18 water authorities were represented. Another highlight was Stockholm World Water Week, which provided an excellent platform to showcase our international water partnerships, with both local partners and Blue Deal colleagues contributing to key sessions. Looking ahead, the UN Water Conference in December 2026 will offer yet another opportunity to present DWA’s expertise on the global stage. Luzette Kroon emphasised that water resilience and climate adaptation will remain core priorities for the water authorities in 2026.
Li An Phoa: Drinkable Rivers: small steps matter
With calm and conviction, Li An Phoa took the audience along on her river walks across the world. Her goal: to restore rivers to such a state that their water becomes safely drinkable again and ecosystems remain healthy. In 2018, Phoa walked 1,061 km along the River Meuse – from source to sea – to raise awareness about water quality. Later journeys included the Scheldt, the Thames and the Danube, amongst others. Initiatives have also arisen along the Vecht, Berkel and Amstel river basins.
“From residents and farmers to mayors – everyone loves water and wants drinkable rivers. Make drinkable rivers the indicator for granting permits,” Phoa suggested. Rather than monitoring how polluted water is, she suggested: “Turn it around – wouldn’t that be much more powerful?”
Her presentation was an inspirational reminder highlighting how local knowledge, communities and long-term partnerships form the foundation of healthy ecosystems.
Blue Deal impact – cooperation that makes a difference

Blue Deal Programme Manager Marieke van Nood was a fitting next speaker, as Li An’s stories closely align with the core of the water authorities’ international work in the Blue Deal programme: cross‑border cooperation, good governance and strong local engagement as the foundation for sustainable water management. Marieke highlighted several Blue Deal partnerships in Kenya, Ethiopia, Argentina and Ghana, demonstrating that involving local users is essential for achieving impact on the ground. “Blue Deal results are strongest when local users and communities not only participate, but truly have a role and a platform.”
From enforcing water abstraction rules in Kenya to engaging farmers as co‑water managers in Argentina: everywhere the same principle applies – local ownership works.
NWB Fund – 20 years of investing in international water work
Finally, Bert van Boggelen reflected on 20 years of the NWB Fund. Established to enable international cooperation by the water authorities, the fund invests more than €800,000 annually in Blue Deal projects, with a focus on climate adaptation and social inclusion. It has laid the foundation for many long‑standing partnerships. Participants of the day already received their next invite for the upcoming anniversary event in October, at which they will also give out the annual NWB Award.

Break‑out sessions: from Europe to the food–water nexus
In the afternoon, participants spread across four interactive breakout sessions, each with its own angle but united by one central theme: how do we strengthen our international effectiveness going forward?
- The Food–Water nexus (Blue Deal)
A session on the crucial relationship between water management and food production, with practical examples from Dutch organisations such as Netherlands Food Partnership, Holland Greentech, Practica Foundation, ECCD-Gire and Blue Deal Peru. Participants had the opportunity to join the discussion in the ‘fish bowl’. A key insight: moving from insight to action requires collaboration between water authorities, individual farmers, knowledge institutions and private partners, and a flexible approach, taking into consideration climate extremes.
- Social inclusion and co‑creation (Blue Deal)
Led by Liliane Geerling (Partners for Water) and Blue Deal Social Inclusion focal point Tanah Meijers, this session showed how projects become stronger and more sustainable when local communities are engaged from the start. Examples from Africa and Latin America illustrated how participation from all levels and stakeholders leads to better management and broader support. Participants were given a co-creation assignment to put what they learned into practice.
- What’s happening in Europe (Bureau Brussels)
Bureau Brussels representatives Jan van der Steen and Annelle van der Wel gave an update on European legislation, new funding opportunities and the growing need for cross‑border coordination. It was a reminder that Brussels is part of all water authority work and inspiring for everyone working at the intersection of policy and implementation.
- The European Knowledge Agenda
How can we organise and share our knowledge more effectively within Europe? Led by Paul van den Berg (Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier) and Marina Gatón González-Anleo (Waterschap Zuiderzeeland), this interactive session addressed data, monitoring, knowledge exchange and the role of water authorities in European research programmes.

Stronger together as we look ahead
The DWA Network Day 2026 once again demonstrated how rich, diverse and meaningful the international work of the Dutch water authorities is, and how important it is to exchange experiences and learn from each other. From geopolitical insights to river walks, from governance to community action – the work of Dutch water professionals makes a global difference, and has the potential to scale its impact further.



















