On 22 March, World Water Day, Dutch development minister Bert Koenders gave the starting signal for the first three international water projects to be run by the Netherlands Association of Water Boards. The projects are being launched in Nicaragua, South Africa and Hungary with the aim of ensuring better water management and greater access to clean drinking water and sanitation. The project in Nicaragua aims for better management of the catchment area near the city of Matagalpa, and will provide 80,000 new drinking water connections, as well as sanitary facilities and wastewater treatment. In South Africa, officials from local water boards will receive training. In Hungary, the Dutch water boards will provide support in planning two catchment areas around Lakes Balaton and Velence.

The projects are being financed from the solidarity fund of the Nederlandse Waterschapsbank (NWB), the public sector bank that funds the water boards and other government agencies. The NWB fund will amass Euro 25 million.

Contact: Rob Uijterlinden, Unie van Waterschappen, e-mail

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar 2007

Tags: water resources management