Tag: Romania

During a bilateral panel in Craiova, Dutch and Romanian water leaders visited key Blue Deal project sites, highlighting progress on drought resilience, river restoration and long‑term cooperation.

“We have moved beyond talking about issues.”
With these words, Willemijn van Haaften, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Romania, opened the 12th bilateral Dutch–Romanian Panel on Water Management. The meeting took place on 4 and 5 May in Craiova, a city along the Jiu River in Romania’s Oltenia region, situated between the Southern Carpathians and the Danube.

Since the launch of the Blue Deal programme, the bilateral panel has also served as the steering committee for the four Blue Deal projects in Romania. One of these projects, Tackling Drought, focuses partly on the so‑called Oltenian Sahara (Sahara Olteniei). This area, between Calafat and Dăbuleni, is affected by severe land degradation and desertification, impacting an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 hectares. The Blue Deal project aims to identify sustainable pathways to address these challenges.

Broad representation from water authorities

The panel was chaired by Luzette Kroon, dijkgraaf of Dutch water authority Wetterskip Fryslân. The Dutch delegation also included Marjon Verkleij, board member of Rijnland Water Authority, and Josette van Wersch, executive board member of Waterschap Limburg. In addition to representatives from Romania’s Ministry of Water, participants from Moldova were present. As an EU candidate country, Moldova is in the process of aligning its water legislation with European standards and is actively seeking best practices.

Key challenges in Romanian water management

During the meeting, the Netherlands embassy presented an overview of the current state of water management in Romania. At present, only 77% of Romanian households are connected to a public water supply. By 2030, authorities hope to reach 100%, but this represents a major national challenge. The total investment needed for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is estimated at over €30 billion.

Sorin Rîndașu, Deputy Director at the Romanian Ministry of Water, highlighted that while European funding is available, there are ongoing challenges related to the absorption and effective use of these funds.

Field visits: reservoirs, irrigation and drought resilience

On the second day, the delegation visited several project locations, including the Isalnița reservoir on the Jiu River, a tributary of the Danube. The reservoir previously supplied cooling water to a coal‑fired power plant downstream. Following the decommissioning of the plant in line with the Paris Agreement, opportunities have emerged to use this water more effectively for agriculture.

Within the Tackling Drought project, the Blue Deal partnership has advised that water abstraction for irrigation from the Isalnița reservoir is more sustainable than current withdrawals from the Danube, as the reservoir is located at a higher elevation.

Another site visit focused on the Corabia–Sadova irrigation scheme, located on the left bank of the Jiu. Developed in the 1960s, the system consists of concrete channels pumping Danube water uphill over a height difference of approximately 160 metres. Originally designed to irrigate 70,000 hectares of agricultural land, the system has suffered from decades of underinvestment, as full rehabilitation would be energy‑intensive and unsustainable.

The Corabia–Sadova area falls under two regional water authorities, Apa Jiu and Apa Olt. Within the Blue Deal project, it has been recommended to partially rehabilitate the irrigation system within the Apa Jiu district, while allowing space for reforestation in the northern sections.

Nature restoration in the Jiu Valley

The delegation also visited the Jiu Valley, a Natura 2000 protected area encompassing the Jiu River and its tributary, the Jiet (Little Jiu). The Dutch Water Authorities (Unie van Waterschappen) is an associate partner in the EU Interreg project Interlink Hard, which focuses on river and ecosystem restoration.

Planned measures include restoring river meanders, creating floodplain areas designed for pollinators, removing vegetation barriers to improve fish migration, and reconnecting the Jiu River with the parallel Jiet River. This reconnection is expected to prevent the Jiet from drying out during late summer.

The Interreg project, with a total budget of €3.5 million, will also involve deep borehole investigations to better understand groundwater conditions and soil composition. These data are highly relevant for the Blue Deal Tackling Drought project, as they will contribute to a more robust assessment of the water balance in the Jiu basin.

Looking ahead: ensuring continuity of the Blue Deal partnership

During the panel discussions, participants also reflected on the importance of ensuring long‑term continuity for the Blue Deal partnership in Romania, particularly in light of changes in the funding landscape expected after 2028. The coming years will therefore focus on aligning shared ambitions, partnerships and financing arrangements to support the continued implementation and scaling up of results.

By combining national cooperation, EU programmes such as Interreg and the commitment of participating water authorities, the Dutch–Romanian partnership aims to build on the progress made so far and continue advancing climate‑resilient and sustainable water management in the years ahead.

During the Tackling Floods work visit in March 2026, Water Authority Limburg in Roermond welcomed Dutch and Romanian partners for an important next step in their collaboration.

While previous exchanges largely focused on sharing knowledge, this visit marked a clear shift towards deepening relationships and turning ideas into practical action. Particular attention was given to advancing three joint projects and strengthening stakeholder engagement.

The work visit brought together experts from several Dutch water authorities, Romanian water authorities and Dutch knowledge institutes (IVK). The opening session highlighted the importance of international cooperation within the Blue Deal programme. By pooling knowledge and experience, partners are better equipped to tackle a shared challenge: improving protection against (flash) floods.

From knowledge to action

Throughout the week, participants worked on three case studies in Romania: the Nigel River, a damaged dam near Măgura, and flooding issues around a railway underpass in Bacău.

Technical sessions and field visits in South Limburg provided both inspiration and practical insights. Participants explored how Nature-Based Solutions, such as restoring natural river processes, can be combined with more traditional engineering measures. The focus noticeably shifted from exploring possibilities to shaping concrete next steps.

For both the Nigel River and the damaged dam, partners agreed to initiate feasibility studies. Early sketches of potential measures were developed and will be elaborated into technical designs in the next phase. Step by step, the collaboration is beginning to deliver tangible outcomes.

Putting stakeholders at the centre

Another key theme during the work visit was stakeholder management. Dedicated sessions focused on how to involve stakeholders more effectively, including local authorities, landowners and users of the area. Together, participants worked on:

• updating stakeholder analyses, including SWOT assessments,
• defining tailored strategies for different stakeholder groups,
• and planning concrete actions such as meetings and site visits.

Discussions made clear that strong stakeholder engagement can make or break a project. Limited cooperation from landowners and regulatory constraints around infrastructure remain real challenges. At the same time, active involvement of local decision-makers – such as mayors – can help unlock progress and build momentum.

Building towards the next phase

Beyond technical discussions, the work visit also strengthened the partnership between all involved. A set of clear follow-up actions has been agreed, ranging from further technical analyses and deeper exploration of Nature-Based Solutions to enhanced knowledge exchange, stakeholder strategies and identifying funding opportunities within European programmes.

In the coming months, partners will focus on carrying out feasibility studies, refining designs and engaging stakeholders on the ground. The collaboration will continue in September 2026 with a follow-up meeting in Bacău, Romania, where progress will be reviewed and new steps will be defined.

This work visit marks a clear shift in the partnership: from learning to doing, from exploring ideas to shaping real solutions. An important step towards more resilient and sustainable approaches to flood risk management.

In October 2025, the second mission under the Blue Deal Economic Mechanism project took place at Waterschap Limburg in Roermond.

This location was no coincidence. Waterschap Limburg has been closely involved with Romania’s water sector since the very beginning of the Dutch-Romanian collaboration in 2006. One of the key figures from that time, Philip Daelmans, remains actively engaged and helped design a diverse and insightful programme together with his colleagues.

Why water financing matters

Financing water management is a challenge faced not only in Romania but across many Blue Deal partnerships worldwide. Sustainable funding is essential for maintaining infrastructure, improving services, and meeting long-term water security goals. The Dutch water authorities have developed a unique tax system that ensures stable financing for water management, an approach that sparks interest from many countries looking for practical solutions.

Key themes and discussions

The workshops focused on several pressing topics, with a recurring theme being how Romanian water authorities generate income. Unlike in the Netherlands, revenue collection in Romania is not as straightforward as levying taxes on citizens. While taxes are collected, the process is far more limited and labour-intensive. The challenges, struggles, and potential solutions for improving revenue streams were discussed in depth. A highlight was the presentation by Rianne Janssen, tax specialist at Waterschap Limburg, who explained Limburg’s tax collaboration model – sparking great interest among Romanian participants.

The topic is key, as the European Commission announced a new dialogue with Romania to improve implementation of EU water legislation. Local impact – financial and social – must be delivered through credible water credit systems.

Another major focus was cost reduction. One example is the shift toward digital invoicing and electronic signatures, which can significantly improve efficiency. The Romanian delegation shared their progress in this area, and several participants presented the financial situation of their own water authorities.

Building better financial insights

The mission also addressed the development of a new Management Information System in Romania. This system aims to provide clearer insights into the finances and performance of Romanian water authorities. Progress has been promising, following guidance provided by World Bank on this front.

Looking ahead to 2026, there is plenty to build on. This mission was a success both in terms of content and relationships. Clear action points have been defined for the next mission, scheduled for June 2026 in Oradea, with an interim digital meeting planned for early 2026.