Context
In the Netherlands, water management is essential due to the majority of the country being below sea level. The 21 Dutch water boards are regional governing bodies in charge of a wide range of tasks and services such as dykes and waste water treatment. In providing these services, the water boards aim to be both affordable and sustainable. In addition, they are required to meet strict European and national standards to become energy neutral, climate neutral and circular by 2035, 2040 and 2050, respectively. To reach these standards, systemic change and innovations in technology, legislation, organisation and governance are necessary. The water boards collaborate through the Energy and Raw Materials Factory (ERMF), a network organisation that has been working on sustainability for the past 15 years.
Objectives
The ERMF is an innovative engine that helps the water boards achieve their economic and sustainability objectives. It connects research, policy and market, and facilitates the implementation of energy and raw materials projects. These projects reduce the environmental impact and the costs of the water boards. The main objectives of the ERMF are to help achieve energy neutrality within the water sector and reduce dependence on raw materials by recovering and reusing raw materials. As an entrepreneurial government body, their focus is on delivering maximum value driven by a desire to make a positive impact, echoing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Implementation
The ERMF started in 2008 as a small project of four water boards to produce more energy and increase social benefits. Over time, this network organisation has grown from a small development company into a mature operation company, which is still being developed. The organisation is also administratively anchored in the Dutch Union of Water Boards (Unie van Waterschappen) and thus guarantees the annual financing of the necessary activities. Currently, the factory manages a portfolio of 16 products and cooperates with more than 200 professionals on these initiatives.
The network works together on three main themes: Policy and Strategy, Research and Market. These themes are also represented by different groups in the Core Steering Committee and the Programme Executive Team. The Steering Committee oversees the entire ERMF programme for the National Sewage Managers Association, which consists of the 21 water boards. The association also approves the annual plan and budget each year, which is about €500 000 per year. More than 45 wastewater treatment plants have already been built, reducing the environmental footprint of the water boards and generating economic benefits through a smart market strategy.