Category: News

Young people in South Africa perform water quality monitoring and river health assessment

On 2 October, a group of young people from Soulfood Community Organisation in Grabouw were educated on the monitoring of water quality, as well as river health and ecosystem functionality, marking good progress for the Citizen Science campaign for the Blue Deal project in Grabouw, South Africa.

This educational day was a culmination of efforts by the Breede-Olifants Catchment Management Agency (BOCMA), Theewaterskloof Municipality, and Dutch Water Authorities. Accompanied by officials from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), they joined efforts to ensure the roaring success of the Citizen Science campaign.

Citizen science addresses local and global challenges

Citizen science in South Africa is a vibrant and growing field, engaging communities in various scientific research projects. These initiatives empower individuals to contribute to scientific knowledge and address local and global challenges. It covers a wide range of topics, including environmental conservation and, in this instance, water resources management.

Creating awareness

Part of the objectives of the Blue Deal Theewaterskloof project, is to create awareness and to educate around issues of sustainability – in this instance, remedying the effects of solid waste pollution on water resources. 12 youngsters from the Soulfood organisation were educated in monitoring the water quality of different water streams, as well as a mini SASS (South African Scoring System), where the river and ecosystem health of the Klipdrift River was determined. The youngsters had the opportunity to interact with water resources specialists from BOCMA. This collaborative spirit helps gather valuable data and insights, enriching our understanding of the natural world. At the same time, it provides learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom setting.

Collecting water quality samples

The day started with an explanation of how the specialists work. This was followed by a water quality monitoring exercise, where the youngsters collected water quality samples of urban water streams. Hereafter, a mini SASS exercise followed. The excitement was tangible when they got to wear the wading suits to collect river samples. The entire group then identified the organisms from the river to assess the river health.

“Everything has an impact on the environment”

The youngsters were enthusiastic and engaged in discussions with the specialists about working in the water sector, job opportunities, and hope. One of the youngsters: “I learned that everything has an impact on the environment, for example solid waste.” Involving the community through the Blue Deal and the Citizens Science campaign will take place more frequently across various locations in the region, as well as drawing linkages between this programme and others within South Africa. In doing so, this advances scientific research, and fosters community involvement and education, making it a powerful tool for sustainable development and conservation.

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A dike specialist looks back at her first work visit with Blue Deal Peru

What is it like to work for the Blue Deal Peru? Evelien van der Heijden is a Dutch dike specialist who recently joined the Blue Deal family. She shares her experiences of her first work visit to Peru from 17 - 28 November. "This was a reality check for me."

System as a whole

“I’m a dike specialist at the Dutch water authority Rivierenland. I studied Earth Sciences, which taught me the logic behind earth’s processes. My contribution to the Blue Deal Peru team focuses on minimalising the problems on the rivers during rainy seasons. I do, however, realise we have to take into account the system as a whole, including the various (extreme) challenges it faces.”

Goals for the first visit

“My goals for this first work visit were:

  • Meeting our partners and getting a sense of the different parties involved, and the roles and positions they take;
  • Getting more information about the regions, the rivers and the existing challenges.”

Ways to cooperate

“Our direct partner is the Autoridad Nacional del Agua (ANA). We visited the headquarters in Lima and spent most of our time with the ANA’s in the northern regions of Tumbes and Piura. For my work, another important party is the Autoridad Nacional de Infraestructura (ANIN). This party is assigned to build infrastructural works to prevent disruptive floodings who severely affect the regions. Together with our partners we spoke with ANIN about ways to cooperate and exchange information.”

Climate Cafe

“We joined the Climate Cafe workshops on a field trip to the Tumbes river upstream areas. The workshops are also part of our project, they are organised by the University of Applied Sciences Hanze, Wageningen and Maastricht Universities. They focus on working and creating awareness of water and climate issues among university students. Together with the students, I learned about the Tumbes river, quality and sedimentation problems.”

Extremes of the river system

“The day after, we had a field trip with ANA, ANIN and other stakeholders. This day brought together parties that have trouble cooperating. Although no friendships blossomed, at least there was knowledge exchange and interaction. And I learned about the different parties and their (interacting) roles.”

“During this field trip, we visited some brand new constructions, built by ANIN. These huge constructions collect the debris during rainy season in temporary tributaries. It’s hard to imagine these constructions at work during that season or a ‘wet event’ when melting away in the sun in a dry river bed. It made me realise the scale of the extremes of this river system. I realise now that I need more experience to really comprehend this system.”

Don’t jump to solutions

“In Piura, Dutch Water Authorities colleague Betty Laan (from the Dutch water authority hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier) gave a workshop about strengthening the position of the water councils and the possible conditions of a decision-making process. This gave me a good understanding about the different parties and their interests, including their challenges. The key insight from the sessions and discussions with Betty and the partners was the importance of first understanding the conditions of a situation or problem, rather than immediately jumping to solutions.”

‘Wastewater people’

“Later that day, the room was filled with ‘wastewater people’. This was because Dutch Water Authorities colleague John Koop (of the Dutch water authority Hunze en Aa’s) introduced a training programme for employees at wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, Sander Wingelaar, a PhD candidate from TU Delft, presented his research proposal on wastewater resource recovery. Although not my area of expertise, certainly an expansion of my network.”

“The day after, Carlo van Oijen, a student at the Wageningen University, presented his Bachelor thesis ‘Flood Risk Reduction in the lower catchment of the Piura River”. Carlo was on screen (via Teams), while ANA and ANIN sat together with us in the meeting room. We had an open conversation about the newly gained knowledge and how we could work together to help mitigating floods in the city.”

Severe drought

“The last day in Piura, we attended the Climate Cafe. As part of this, we visited the Poechos dam and reservoir. The reservoir is nearly empty and no water flows through to feed the river. This was a reality check for me. I could understand the current news about the difficult situation of many farmers in the region, who are afraid to lose their production due to severe drought. Thus, the regions are not only affected by floods but also suffer extreme droughts as consequences of climate change.”

“Next to those impacts and together with the students, we also learned about the struggles a community faces due to the building of another dam. Some interviews were conducted by the students of the Climate Cafe with the community members. Although my Spanish was not good enough to completely understand their stories, this certainly gave me an insight in the most important party: the local inhabitants, who we, civil servants, work for.”

Sharing experiences

“Looking back at this work visit I can surely check the boxes of my proposed objectives. It was a great experience. The most valuable: the time spent in between and on the road with colleagues from ANA and Dutch Water Authorities, sharing experiences and insights.”

Busy months for Blue Dragon Vietnam

The Blue Dragon programme, the Blue Deal partnership in Vietnam, experienced a busy second half of the year 2024 with the following events.

Green Economic Forum and Exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City

The Blue Dragon programme was invited by the Consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to take part in the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE) from 21 – 23 October. The Blue Dragon programme presented about breaking the Build-Neglect-Repair cycle by our successful training programme on asset management and operation and maintenance. This was well received by the public and enterprises present.

During GEFE, the Blue Dragon programme also met with the Water Agency and other Dutch enterprises active in Vietnam. The Water Agency has interesting content, which creates chances to collaborate with each other.

Expanding the Blue Dragon programme to more provinces in the Mekong Delta

During the work visits to Vietnam in October and November, we visited 4 provinces in the Mekong Delta who showed interest in joining the programme. We met the Provincial People Committees represented by the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and other departments of the provinces An Giang, Vinh Long, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang. They all started the approval processes to join the programme. At Bac Lieu the director even invited the press and local television to prepare a news item.

The Blue Dragon programme will organise workshops in February 2025 to discuss contents of the programme in each new province with the presence of officials from several departments of the provinces working on water management.

GIS training

The coordinating office of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) contacted us in 2023 to start a GIS training programme with all provinces of the Mekong Delta. This initiative was developed together with the Can Tho University (CTU) and Hannes Versteegh from the Dutch water authority Hollands Noorderkwartier into a 4 week training programme starting with the basics of GIS. The coordinating office of MARD invited the participants from all provinces to come to CTU in Can Tho to take part.

The first training started in March 2024 with almost 60 participants. 3 trainings have so far been organised in 2024. The coordinating office proposed to extend the training with GIS analyses and the Dutch water authority De Stichtse Rijnlanden organized 2 GIS specialists to develop and give the trainings with CTU. During 2025 and 2026, 5 more trainings will be organised relating to rice agriculture and water management.

Blue Dragon Day meeting – Ecological embankments for erosion prevention

On 13 November, the annual Blue Dragon Day meeting was held in Rach Gia, Kien Giang province. With 40 participants from Can Tho, Hau Giang and Kien Giang provinces, the Ecological Embankment Pilot project in Kien Giang, applying nature-based solutions for erosion protection, was discussed.
After the opening by Mr Tjeerd Dijkstra (partnership manager) and Mr Doan Chi Tam (Vice Director of Water Resources Division in Kien Giang), the presentations started.

Dr Vu Tien Duc (Royal HaskoningDHV) presented the different design options for ecological embankments that could be applied in the pilot area in Kien Giang Province. After the presentations, the participants were divided into 3 groups in which they analysed and discussed the different designs from technical, social, environmental, and financial perspective.

There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm during the discussions. As part of the Blue Dragon programme goals, there was also interprovincial cooperation by participants of Can Tho and Hau Giang giving their expertise on the pilot project in Kien Giang. The meeting resulted in recommendations on what designs should be considered during the next phase. Also, important recommendations were provided on how to improve the selected designs. The designs will be updated.

Mangrove expansion and carbon credits in Ghana

The Songor mangrove project in the lower Volta basin in Ghana has taken a significant step forward in addressing both climate change and local livelihood challenges. A Blue Deal workshop in October brought key stakeholders together to explore the potential for expansion of the mangrove coverage in combination with the generation of carbon credits.

These stakeholders included the Blue Deal team Ghana, Water Resource Commission (WRC), Forestry Commission, District Assemblies, and Treevive/Face the Future.

Tap into the voluntary carbon market

The focus of the day was to identify key areas for mangrove restoration andexpansion, and to understand the organisational frameworks needed to leverage carbon storage for both environmental and economic benefits. Mangroves can play a role in storing carbon, and through the Blue Deal initiative, Ghana aims to tap into the voluntary carbon market by expanding mangrove acreage.

Benefits of carbon credit system

Treevive presented the carbon credit system, where carbon emitters pay off their emissions, and funds are used to support mangrove planting and maintenance. Although the start-up phase takes up to 8 years, the project promises long-term benefits up to 40 years, including alternative livelihoods, coastal protection and improved water quality.

Risks for the project

Another part of the workshop was about defining risks in the future project, so a risk matrix was made. A key challenge discussed was land fragmentation in the region, where land is owned by communities, private individuals, or leased, complicating ownership and management of the mangroves. Stakeholders agreed that a trust fund would help manage carbon credits and ensure fair distribution of funds. The initiative has stirred up optimism for creating a sustainable future in the region, with a focus on collaboration, community involvement, and a long-term strategy for mangrove restoration.

Field visits

During the Blue Deal work visit, several field visits took place in the Songor area to assess the suitability for mangrove restoration. Field visits have also taken place in the Keta area that may be included in the assessment.

Prefeasibility study

Treevive/Face the Future has begun assessing the prefeasibility study for the Songor restoration project, building on previous studies, as well as insights gained from this week’s field visits and workshops.

Blue Deal Romania part of Wetskills-Romania 2024

Blue Deal Romania participated in the Wetskills event in Romania from 16 - 29 November 2024 with 2 assignments.

The Wetskills Water Challenge is a 2-weeks programme for students and young professionals from all over the world with a passion for water. They join an event, and work in transdisciplinary and transcultural teams on challenging water cases. Blue Deal Romania contributed to this years’ event with 2 cases:

  • Engaging young people in risk, crisis, and corporate communication;
  • Nature-based solutions for drought measures.

For the communication assignment, a Wetskills team of 5 people developed an app called Personal Assistant for Communication with Organisation (PACO), complete with its own mascot. This team included 3 staff members from the Blue Deal partner organisation, the National Administration Romanian Waters.

For the nature-based solutions assignment, a Wetskills team of 4 people devised solutions to reconnect an old river branch and to restore a neglected spring. This team included a staff member from the Dutch water authority Brabantse Delta.

The solutions were presented on 28 November 2024 at the Dutch Embassy in Bucharest. They will be discussed during upcoming Blue Deal Romania meetings.

Interview Marieke van Nood: a visit to Blue Deal Colombia

Marieke van Nood, Programme Manager at the Blue Deal Programme Office, recently visited the COP16 on biodiversity and combined this with a field visit to InspirAgua, the Blue Deal partnership in Colombia. During her visit, she explored the progress and impact of the partnership on the ground, engaging with local teams and partners to strengthen ties and exchange valuable insights. Below, she reflects on her experience and shares her observations.

Participative monitoring during the field trip in Rio Las Ceibas, Colombia

What stood out most to you about your visit to the InspirAgua programme?

“When I had the chance to spend a few days with the InspirAgua team in Colombia at the end of October 2024 for the COP16 and for a field visit, I was particularly curious about how the local partner organisation values the collaboration. My curiosity was immediately rewarded when I met the technical director of the regional water authority in Cali, Paola Patiño, upon my arrival. She has a comprehensive view of the value of InspirAgua, from strategic to tactical levels. This was further confirmed by her colleagues in Cali and especially in Huila.”

“The lively and open discussions about improving monitoring and information management there highlighted for me that InspirAgua addresses unique and essential topics in knowledge exchange. Of course, I would have loved to see even more of the other work InspirAgua is involved in, such as crisis or wastewater management. That’s something for next time!”

How would you describe the collaboration between the Dutch and Colombian colleagues?

“The collaboration is warm and cordial. The trust that has been built forms the foundation for diving deep into substantive topics and sometimes having challenging discussions. A special compliment also goes to the new Young Expert colleagues. In Huila, Laura Camila was an excellent translator – not just linguistically, but also in terms of content and cultural nuances.”

What would you like to share with the colleagues of InspirAgua and other Blue Deal partnerships?

“The commitment of all the experts is incredibly high. I noticed this during the preparatory meetings as well as in the field teams. I hope you can pass on this dedication to future experts of Dutch Water Authorities.”

“I was also impressed by the efficiency of splitting into small groups of 2 or 3 people focusing on specific topics. This makes excellent use of everyone’s time and knowledge, including colleagues at the regional water authorities. I realise this involves significant logistical and coordination efforts for the partnership management, but the results are truly fantastic.”

Read more about Marieke van Nood

Blue Deal delegation attends COP16: Biodiversity must be a central theme

From 21 October to 1 November 2024, the United Nations (UN) hosted the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) on biodiversity in Colombia. A small delegation from the Blue Deal attended the COP to highlight the importance of regional cooperation by water authorities to strengthen biodiversity together. Erik de Ridder, Chair of the Dutch water authority De Dommel and Lead of the Blue Deal Colombia partnership, was part of the delegation.

Blue Deal representatives

Erik de Ridder participated in COP16 at the invitation of CVC and ASOCARS, partners of the Blue Deal Colombia partnership known as InspirAgua. CVC is based in Cali, Colombia, where COP16 was held. Marieke van Nood, Programme Manager of the Blue Deal, represented the Blue Deal Programme Office, while Water Envoy and Blue Deal Steering Committee Member Meike van Ginneken was also present.

A global approach to biodiversity

During COP16, UN member states discussed global strategies to address biodiversity loss, including the Global Biodiversity Framework established in 2022. This framework sets out objectives to halt the worldwide decline in biodiversity.

“Small steps are crucial”

De Ridder participated in a panel on the integrated management of biodiversity and ecosystems, focusing on the role of governance and institutions. “When implementing complex goals, like those discussed at the COP, small steps are crucial,” he shared. “Biodiversity should be a central theme in all government policies, from agriculture to urbanisation. Only an integrated approach can offer meaningful solutions and make resources available for implementing organisations. I was deeply moved by how Colombia views biodiversity as a natural and essential responsibility.”

“Water quality must be in order”

Water Envoy Van Ginneken also highlighted the importance of regional and international cooperation by water authorities to enhance biodiversity. During a visit to a local water treatment plant, she stated: “Improving biodiversity requires good water quality. The collaboration between the Blue Deal and the local water treatment plant operator is an example of how bilateral partnerships can contribute to stronger biodiversity and help achieve COP goals together.”

International collaboration and biodiversity

During COP16, the Blue Deal delegation strengthened ties with Colombian and other international partners. The event also provided an opportunity to gain new insights into biodiversity through lessons learned from international collaborations. Learning from other countries is a key priority for the Blue Deal.

Biodiversity crisis in the Netherlands

Biodiversity and ecology play a vital role in the work of the water authorities in the Netherlands. Through the design and management of ditches, dykes, and other infrastructure, they contribute to strengthening nature. The water authorities can therefore play a key role in addressing the biodiversity crisis in the Netherlands.

Blue Deal Colombia

In Colombia, Blue Deal InspirAgua works to improve water conditions in the Magdalena River basin. The partnership collaborates with national and regional partners to promote climate-resilient and socially inclusive water management. Key priorities include developing functional river basin plans, establishing an effective crisis organisation, improving data-driven knowledge and insights, wastewater treatment, and pollution prevention and enforcement.

Annual meeting for Economic Mechanism project Romania

On October 7, it was once again time for the annual meeting in Romania regarding the Blue Deal Economic Mechanism project. This year’s location was Timisoara, Romania. Following what was for some a long travel day, the workshop began on Tuesday, October 8, with a welcome speech by Liliana Michineci, the director of NARW, the Romanian water authority.

Progress in KPI dashboard

After reflecting on the Blue Deal work visit to Leiden, the Netherlands, which took place earlier in May this year, the first major topic on the agenda was addressed. This concerned the progress made by Romanian colleagues in developing a KPI dashboard. The aim of the dashboard is to help monitor their goals and achievements more effectively in the future. In collaboration with the World Bank, an initial concept for such a dashboard was created and presented for the first time in Timisoara, Romania. Although there is still much work to be done, the first step was well-received. The coming period will focus on identifying suitable KPIs and determining how data will be collected and provided. The project with the World Bank must be completed by March 1, 2025, and the topic will undoubtedly be revisited during the next Blue Deal work visit.

Tax collection

Although it was not formally on the agenda, the topic of tax collection was also discussed. Upon request, Philip Daelmans of the Dutch water authority Limburg gave a presentation about the imposition and collection of taxes through the tax collaboration system in which his water authority is involved. This topic piqued the interest of the Romanian colleagues, especially since the Romanian water authority NARW plans to introduce a solidarity contribution of €8 per household starting in 2025. This contribution is part of a proposed law based on World Bank recommendations. The aim is to raise an estimated €8 billion between 2025 and 2039, not only through the solidarity contribution but also by tapping into new revenue streams such as groundwater extraction fees and energy generation from water.

Key topics

2 key topics on the agenda for day 3 were communication/lobbying and treasury management. Starting with communication, it is crucial for NARW to bring its partners on board with the World Bank’s recommendations. Earlier this year, a meeting was organised with key stakeholders, including ministries and energy companies, and the Romanian colleagues provided an update on this in Timisoara. They drew inspiration for organising such meetings from the ‘storytelling’ workshop given by Marcel de Ruijter earlier this year in Leiden. Regarding treasury management, Philip Daelmans gave a presentation on how it is handled at the Dutch water authority Limburg.

Asset management

The main focus of the final day of the workshop was the use of risk and asset management within NARW. To make significant progress on these topics, work is being done with a software tool that NARW had previously employed. The goal is to use risk analysis to identify the most significant risks related to NARW’s assets, allowing prioritisation of actions and allocation of maintenance budgets accordingly. To date, 50,000 assets have been mapped and integrated into the software tool.

In addition to the above-mentioned topics, the workshop was, as always, enriched with presentations and excursions that provided participants with greater insight into the hosting water authority and its management area. All in all, the work visit was a resounding success on every level.

Marieke van Nood new Programme Manager Blue Deal

On 1 October, Marieke van Nood started as the new Programme Manager for the Blue Deal. Van Nood has extensive knowledge and experience in working internationally within the water sector. In the past years, she also gained experience with the Blue Deal, working for several Blue Deal partnerships as Regional Director East Africa and Asia for World Waternet.

This is what Marieke says about the Blue Deal:

“Over the past 6 years during my work at World Waternet, I have often been proud of my water colleagues when they showed solutions for sustainable water management. In Kenya, it turned out that the private sector was very keen to help the water authority with their tasks and with funds for that. In Ethiopia, operational training proved to be enough to actually start using donated vacuum trucks. Small interventions, but with a huge impact.”

Missing piece of the puzzle

“Strong water organisations are often the missing piece of the puzzle in sustainable water management. And the Dutch water authorities enable strengthening these organisations with the Blue Deal programme. That’s why I’m so excited to lead the Blue Deal programme on the way to 2030! The Blue Deal opens doors.”

Human relationships

“The human relationships make the Blue Deal programme unique. I look forward to meeting everyone who makes the work of the 17 partnerships possible. And to hear what is on your minds and where you see opportunities.”

Increased collaboration

“Strengthening public water organisations in our partner countries is increasingly seen as that missing piece of the puzzle by other major players in the water field. Increased collaboration with these partners is a huge opportunity for the Blue Deal programme. Together with the programme office and the 17 partnerships, I am committed to this increased collaboration in the coming years.”

Meet the team

Want to get in touch with Marieke van Nood or one of the other members of the team? Reach out to info@bluedeal.nl. Or get in touch with one of the individual members of the Programme Office:

New Blue Deal Young Experts visit the Netherlands

From 9 to 21 September, a group of Young Experts from Blue Deal partnerships visited the Netherlands. This was the kick-start of their 2 year programme as Yeppers, as they are called.

What is the Young Expert Programme?

The Young Expert Programme (YEP) offers young professionals the opportunity to join a training programme for 2 years, to learn in an international environment. For the Blue Deal, a tailor-made programme was created, co-financed by the NWB Fund. Young professionals from all 17 partnerships will work in the water authorities in their countries for the Blue Deal, while also following a programme for personal and professional development. They also receive coaching through this programme. This way, they can strengthen the water management in their countries.

2 people are looking at the tubes inside a wastewater treatment plant

Water management and personal development

These Yeppers started their 2-year programme in the Netherlands and will continue their programme while working for the water authority in their own country. In the next 2 years, they will join several (online) trainings dedicated to water management and their personal development.

Visit to the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the group attended various workshops on topics such as water governance and personal development. They also visited water authorities and went on field trips, such as to the Hondsbossche sea defence and to a water treatment plant.

Building networks and sharing knowledge

Setsabile Thwala from Eswatini is one of the people who were selected to join the YEP for the Blue Deal. “We come from different cultures and I believe we can learn a lot from each other. YEP is also about building networks, interactions and sharing knowledge. I think it’s something we will gain a lot from as the whole batch and I look forward to the experience.”

Tools for achieving goals

Aditya Darmawan is also one of the Yeppers, from Indonesia. One of the reasons to join the YEP is for the lessons on personal development: “This week, I already learned a lot about myself, about who I am and what my goals are professionally. In the workshops, they gave me the tools on how to achieve these goals.” He also speaks about the professional lessons he learned from his visit to the Netherlands. For example about the use of nature-based solutions.

Knowledge exchange

Maricielo Cruz Mogollon, one of the Yeppers from Peru, also speaks about what she learned from her visit to the Netherlands. “From my visit to some of the Dutch water authorities, I noticed how they all work together and support each other. I like how they use the nature and the environment. And also how they are open to learn from other countries and that they give me the opportunity to learn from them, to exchange knowledge.”