Platform on civil engineering, underground infrastructure, energy, construction equipment & construction machinery
The Association of Hydraulic Engineers welcomes the additional €1.5 billion that the government has allocated for the broad infrastructure initiative. However, this represents only a small fraction of the total €80 billion needed for the entire initiative. In addition, the association believes that a more implementation-focused approach in the water engineering sector could save hundreds of millions annually. With these savings, fewer projects would need to be postponed, and replacement and renovation projects could be carried out more quickly, allowing society to benefit from the results sooner.
In too many cases, the current management system in the Netherlands is geared toward risk management and shifting responsibilities, while the replacement and renovation challenges in hydraulic engineering require speed, ownership, and clear leadership. A significant portion of the national budget is spent on ancillary matters rather than dredging waterways, protecting the coast, maintaining bridges and locks, reinforcing dikes, or improving the quality of nature and water. A different approach is needed, given the budget deficit combined with the enormous hydraulic engineering challenges.
The Association of Hydraulic Engineers therefore advocates for an implementation-focused approach, in which execution and action take precedence. This approach has proven itself time and again in the event of emergencies. In the event of a dike breach or a ship obstruction, there is immediate coordination among all parties involved, followed by swift decision-making and action. This stands in stark contrast to standard hydraulic engineering practice, in which a great deal of time and money is spent on endless consensus-building, the development and implementation of so-called “synergistic opportunities,” and the ambition to serve all interests equally. Conflicting regulations increase public resistance and make the final solution much more expensive.
To break this deadlock, different administrative decisions are necessary. The lack of budget and manpower calls for less fragmentation, more decision-making authority closer to the implementation level, greater standardization, and explicit prioritization of societal interests. This will cause some pain across the board: in government, in the office, and on the job site. But ultimately, the Netherlands will benefit if the hydraulic engineering sector has to deal with less paperwork and can focus more on what it does best: working outdoors, in the field, and with a hands-on mentality to develop concrete solutions for societal challenges.
This really can and must change, so that those euros go back into the ground!
