The Netherlands is a country situated by the sea. However, almost half
of it lies below sea level. It is protected against the sea and the
large rivers by dikes. Our polders, too, are protected by dikes. To be
sure, there is a lot of water in this country! It is important - for
now and for the future - that this water should be clean enough for its
inhabitants to be able to live, work and spend their leisure time. The
water control boards in the Netherlands are responsible for this. The
elections for the general executive committees of these water boards
are upcoming. The new Algemene Waterschapspartij (lit. General Water Board Party) was especially founded
for this purpose. We are a national party, independent of politics and
with expert administrators that can be voted for.
We would like to tell you what a water board is responsible for. In short: it is responsible for the protection of the country against flooding, for the maintenance of a proper water level (neither too much nor too little water in lakes, ponds and ditches) and for keeping the water clean. Protection involves managing and maintaining dunes and dikes, which offer protection against the sea and the large rivers and also keep our polders dry. As almost half of this country is below sea level, it is obviously an important task.
The water board has traditionally also been responsible for maintaining the water level in the country. This is especially important for the farmers, because if the soil is too wet it cannot be tilled properly, as a result of which the crops won't grow. In periods of drought it is important that there is just enough water to provide the plants with sufficient moisture. A proper water level is also important for nature. In the future rainfall will be more frequent and heavier, making it important for the water board to take action right now to prevent streets and cellars from being flooded.
The water board is also responsible for keeping the water clean. Your sewage water is purified by a sewage works. After purification the clean water is discharged into the surface water again.
The water board carries out all these tasks by law. In November elections will be held for a General Executive Committee which is responsible for supervising these tasks.
You also have a right to vote. And you can vote for the Algemene Waterschapspartij. We want to work for all Dutch people, we want to be safe in our houses, we want neither too much nor too little water, which naturally has to be clean. We also want the water board to stick to its core business, making its activities inexpensive so that fewer taxes will have to be levied.
So clean water is what we go for. May we ask you to vote for the Algemene Waterschapspartij?
Thanks a lot.
