Looking back and looking ahead Bert Wiersema

What kind of year will 2024 be?

What did we do in 2024 that residents really enjoyed?

Looking back on 2024, what are you proud of?

What do residents notice about all the tasks we are working on?

What kind of year will 2025 be?

What are our ambitions for 2025?

What challenges lie ahead in 2025?

"Now, residents should not notice the changing climate."

"Right now, residents shouldn't notice any effects of climate change. That may change over the next fifty years. But thanks to all our work in the program, they can live here safely," says Bert Wiersema, looking back on 2024 and discussing the work of the water board.

Bert Wiersema has been a member of the executive committee of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority since 2023. He is an external member and therefore not affiliated with any political party. Today, he looks back on how 2024 was for him and looks ahead to his plans for 2025.

Looking back on 2024: Focus on what we as a water authority will be doing in the coming years

Wiersema explains that the past year was completely new in some areas, but familiar in others. "The most difficult thing in 2024 was drawing up the implementation program. What will we, as a water authority, be doing in the coming years? We have a lot to do, and that costs a lot of money. That's why we spent a lot of time making conscious choices." The water board will use this plan in the coming years. "We will benefit greatly from it. That's why it was very important to me from the outset. The outside world is changing, both financially and in terms of content, with a new team of ministers, for example. But we still managed to put together a very good implementation program and worked well with the general board. So I'm proud of that."

According to Wiersema, residents also benefit greatly from the implementation program. "At present, residents are not noticing any effects of climate change, but that may change over the next fifty years. Thanks to our work in the program, they can live here safely." He notes that residents greatly appreciate the fact that they can live here safely and have clean water. "We are working on that, and they notice it every day." As an example, he mentions making the water storage system more robust. "Because we have the Onlanden as water storage, the city stays dry. We are going to make even more use of this."

Climate neutral: By 2035, we want to operate in a climate-neutral and energy-efficient manner.

The water board has also been working on other projects in 2024. "Our goal is to be climate neutral and energy efficient by 2035. We have agreed on this with all the water boards. We are now facing choices for the future," says Wiersema. He mentions the sewage treatment plant in Garmerwolde and the green gas that is used here to generate our own electricity. "We want to use that in the region's energy mix, but that also means that we are less energy neutral, and we have to make choices in that regard."

Artworks: in the maintenance plan, we focus primarily on monuments that are functional.

Cultural history has also been on the agenda. Choices have been made for more than three hundred so-called works of art (hydraulic engineering structures) and landscapes. "We are going to focus on things that are monuments, where we have a duty, and things that are still functional. We have drawn up a maintenance plan for this." He specifically mentions the old water board building in Onderdendam. "We have temporarily purchased it because it would be a shame if such a beautiful building were to become housing for yuppies in Onderdendam. Together with the village, we will choose a suitable use for the building that is also supported locally."

Difficult dilemma: how do you make good decisions when you have a packed schedule?

However, 2024 has also taught Wiersema some lessons. "I had a budget meeting for the second time. There is always the dilemma of what to agree to and what to submit to the general board for decision-making." The agenda is full, but at the same time, he wants to give the general board plenty of room. "We need to find the right mix, and we can describe that even more clearly. This year, we will start working on that in good time."

Looking ahead: how much can we raise our rates and still get all the work done?

Wiersema has several goals for 2025. "As a board, we really want to collaborate more with other authorities, such as municipalities and provinces." At the start of a new project, he wants to sit down with them right away, so that the water board doesn't have to wait until the end to decide whether or not to grant a permit. "That way, you can make plans together. Take the Nieuwe Waterwerken project in Zoutkamp, for example." 

But such a project does not happen by itself. "The municipalities are willing. For example, we have an agreement in the works with the municipality of Het Hogeland. Despite staff shortages, we have to tackle this together. And we want to do that with more municipalities." In this way, Wiersema wants to seek out the outside world more actively. "By collaborating with other authorities and giving even more shape to the water chain. Working together on agendas and strengthening opportunities, rather than coming together when it's actually too late and we have to fight for budgets."

He also wants to look further ahead. He wants to work with the board to get a clear picture of the ambitions for the future. "With the implementation program, we are looking four years ahead, but also ten years ahead. What lies ahead? What are our ambitions now? Where are the opportunities? What does that mean for the implementation program?" The financial position of the water authority is also important in this regard. "How much can we actually increase our rates and make conscious choices in this regard? We are committed to our tasks, but we also have ambitions, which we will redefine for the coming years."

Preventing rat race: who gets the best employees, leaving other parties behind?

But there will also be challenges in 2025. "It is very difficult to find staff. That applies not only to us, but also to parties that work for us. We can have all kinds of plans, but there is a real shortage in the labor market. This also applies to getting things done." The shortage is a challenge at the national level, and Wiersema also sees challenges there. "We have to prevent it from becoming a so-called rat race. Who will grab the first capacity, leaving other parties empty-handed?"

Residents' awareness: our environment cannot be engineered

Ultimately, Wiersema believes it is important that residents understand that we, as humanity, can no longer control our environment. "Everyone can see that the weather is changing and that this will have consequences for residents. They need to know why this is happening."