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(Last updated: 24 Mar 2011)
Trends and opportunities
The market
With almost half of the country below sea level, the Dutch are renowned for their water protecting infrastructures. Water surpluses in the Netherlands are a phenomenon with growing importance and yet, water conservation is also becoming an issue because of severe water shortage. Dutch consumers, companies and governments are increasingly becoming concerned about water and the environment in general.
Facts:
- Highest point: 322m above average at the Vaalserberg
- Lowest point: 6.74m below average, Nieuwerkerk aan de IJssel
- Proportion of the country’s GDP generated below sea level: 70%
- Rainfall: 880mm/year
- Evaporation: 500mm/year
- Primary flood defences: 3,500km in total, consisting of 1,430km of river dikes, 1,017km dikes around lakes, and 430km dikes and 260km dunes for coastal defense
- Number of water companies: 10
- Ownership: public
- Number of employees: 4,893
- Annual water production: 1,138,000,000m3
- Ground water: 60%
- Surface water: 40%
- Drinking water supply: 1,088,000,000m3
- Number of properties served: 7,555,000
- Mains length: 114,649km
- Average price drinking water (incl. VAT): €1.52 per m3
- Average domestic consumption: 127.5 litres/person, day
(Sources: Water in the Netherlands, Riool in Cijfers and VEWIN)
At present there is no significant export of water-related products and services between Australia and the Netherlands, however, private companies compete in the Asian and African markets. It is worthwhile to gain insight into the points of interest of the different players and their eagerness to exchange experiences between Australian and Dutch governmental, private and research organisations.
The public sector
Within the Netherlands, government ministries, regional and local government bodies, district water boards and drinking water supply companies are all actively involved in water management. Through bilateral agreements with other countries, mostly in the form of Memoranda of Understanding, the Dutch government has shown its firm commitment to international efforts to ensure water availability and provide protection against flooding. One of the most important elements of these agreements is the creation of an institutional and legal framework governing water. Such a framework guarantees access to water, ensures that the management of water systems is transparent, and allows citizens to participate in decision-making.
Knowledge institutes – research and academia
The Netherlands’ long-term need for water management solutions has generated a large, varied and coherent knowledge infrastructure encompassing prominent government and private-sector research centres, technological and educational institutes and several universities. These institutions conduct a broad range of basic and applied research in fields directly and indirectly related to water. Dutch research is also internationally oriented and the institutes have built up networks and experience in water-related issues at international level.
The Netherlands also shares its considerable experience and expertise in institutional capacity-building within the water sector. For more than 100 years, educational institutes in the Netherlands have been offering courses on different aspects of water management to international students. This has created an extensive network of professionals trained in water management by the Dutch.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Dutch NGOs working with water are well organised. And, they do not confine their activities to the Netherlands. A number of them are frequent contributors to international decision-making processes and disseminate information and expertise in water management, especially in the fields of water treatment and sanitation.
Because of the Dutch knowledge infrastructure and government support for water-related development cooperation, the Netherlands is a home for international NGOs that focus on the sustainable development of water resources. Through this network, Dutch technologies are frequently used in developing countries (often after slight modifications to suit local circumstances).
The private companies
The private Dutch water sector consists of companies involved in hydraulic engineering, dredging, manufacturing and construction, water supply, consulting and banking. Once proven, the technologies produced are applied around the world.
The Netherlands has a system of integrated water resources management in which public and private organisations cooperate. Where some organisations (like engineering and consultancy firms) offer a wide range of services, other stakeholders specialise in Delta Technology: hydraulic engineering, river basin management and dredging.
This includes land reclamation, coastal protection and the construction of ports, water works and storm-surge barriers. Other organisations focus on Water Technology: technology and management for drinking and other water supply and sanitation. This includes water treatment, monitoring, sensoring, aquifer and other resource management, asset management and financing. In other words, private companies represent a vast range of skills and products with respect to water supply and sanitation technology.
The Netherlands is home to the world’s 10 best engineering firms in the water field. And in the field of hydraulic engineering, two are world leaders in land reclamation, dredging and coastal construction.
Opportunities
Since Australia has a ‘clean and green’ image and offers innovative products/technologies in several areas where they can complement or improve existing solutions. The Dutch post will be looking to pro-actively introduce sustainable products/services to Dutch buyers. The sectors within water could include:
- wastewater management
- recycling
- purification
- conservation
- water saving
- research and commercialisation
- developing cooperation to alleviate Australia's water issues
The market dynamics concerning environment are volatile and opportunities within different environmental sectors will occur. Austrade Netherlands will initially focus on water and water-related industries (eg. recycling, management, purification, conservation, etc).
With our involvement in this relative new sector we aim to generate high dollar-value deals in the Netherlands/Europe for Australian exporters in the longer term.
At the same time, we will be proactively identifying in/outward investment leads in the water sector. Leads from projects such as Australia’s Water for the Future program, will be introduced to larger Dutch water companies.
At the same time, we will be proactively identifying in/outward investment leads in the water sector. Leads from projects such as Australia’s Water for the Future program, will be introduced to larger Dutch water companies.
Competitive environment
Australia will have to offer unique and competitive propositions to withstand the fierce competition from Dutch but also Western European companies (Denmark, Germany, France and Spain).
(Source: Netherlands Water Partnership)
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