Looking back and looking ahead Herman Beerda

What kind of year was 2024?

What important steps did we take in 2024?

Looking back on 2024, what are you proud of?

In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

What kind of year will 2025 be?

What are the challenges for 2025?

What are your ambitions for 2025?

Which innovations are you proud of?

What should residents know about our work?

"Clean water is our lifeline"

"Clean water is our lifeline. It has everything to do with how we treat the environment," says Herman Beerda about the innovations that the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority is implementing at its water treatment plants in Gaarkeuken and Garmerwolde. "As a water authority, we can be pleased that we are able to contribute to this."

Herman Beerda has been a member of the executive committee of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority on behalf of the PvdA since April 2019. Today, he looks back on what he has achieved in 2024 and looks ahead to his plans for 2025.

Looking back on 2024: hard work, including on the new construction of the Gaarkeuken treatment plant

For Beerda, 2024 was a "hectic but wonderful year." He says that the water board achieved a great deal. "You don't realize it as you're doing it, because you're just getting on with the job, but when you look back, it's all there!" He was particularly impressed by the new building at the Gaarkeuken treatment plant. "In February, I visited it for the first time in six months. When you see it there, you're amazed at what we've all done."

But according to Beerda, the most important step taken by the water board in the field of purification was in Garmerwolde. "There, we started renovating three purification lines. One is now complete, and when you see how that line performs compared to before, it's a huge improvement in the amount of debris we remove." The water board is currently working on the second treatment line. "That's encouraging, and I expect Garmerwolde to perform even better in the future."

Aging streets: the purifications are in need of renewal

The purification system was in need of renewal. "The street was already quite old, which meant that the flow and aeration were not as good as they could be. These are essential components that enable a purification system to function properly. You can see that the new blowers, through which the air is blown, are working fantastically well."

This improvement ensures that fewer waste products, or nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are discharged into the Eemskanaal. "The less, the better. Clean water is our lifeline. It has everything to do with how we treat the environment. As a water board, we can be pleased that we are able to contribute to this."

People radiate: I enjoy going to work every day.

Beerda is also proud of the culture within the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority. “I enjoy going to the Water Authority building, or one of our other locations, every day. You can tell from everything that people enjoy their work. I think it's fantastic to see how proud our colleagues in Garmerwolde are of the work they do and how they radiate that pride in every way.”

Looking ahead: we are already working so hard, we must maintain that level.

Beerda is optimistic about 2025. "It will be at least as good as 2024." He expects the water board to perform at roughly the same level. "It's not going to get much better than that. We achieved so much last year, and I would be happy if we could maintain that." 

2025 will also be dominated by so-called roadmaps, plans for the future. "I would really like it if we knew when we would be tackling which purification projects in the coming years." A number of new projects will also be started. "These projects are often long-term. Think, for example, of dyke reinforcement or the construction of a new treatment plant. That takes years." Nevertheless, he hopes to be able to complete the project in Gaarkeuken in 2025.

Replacement is necessary: even in the future, outdated purification systems will need to be renovated or replaced.

According to Beerda, this new construction is urgently needed. Most sewage treatment plants date back to the 1970s. They have now reached an age where replacement is necessary. "In Gaarkeuken, we have decided to close the treatment plants in Zuidhorn and Marum. From now on, that water will be discharged in Gaarkeuken, for which we are building a new treatment plant." 

A great deal of research went into this decision. “It is the most sensible choice. For Marum in particular, this has the advantage that the treatment plant there will no longer discharge into the Dwarsdiep. This water is very sensitive when it comes to quality requirements. Soon, it will be a beautiful little stream.”

Area-specific enforcement: specifically searching for the polluter

Another ambition for Beerda is to devote more attention to licensing, supervision, and enforcement this year. "It's difficult to find good people for this, but at the same time, we can deploy them very effectively for the Water Framework Directive, for example." 

This is how the water board works with area-specific enforcement. Beerda explains that they check how dirty or clean the water is in specific areas. "If it's not good, we look for the source of the pollution." In the past, things were different. "Back then, we took random samples from farms or businesses to check whether the water quality was good. Usually, this was the case. But now we really look for the pollution. We call this area-specific enforcement. As a result, the other water authorities are watching us with interest."

Problem child: clean and healthy water remains a priority

Compliance with the Water Framework Directive will be a challenge. This means that water in the European Union must meet certain guidelines for chemically clean and ecologically healthy water. These guidelines must be met by 2027. But the water board is looking beyond simply meeting this target. "We ourselves are a major cause of the excess nutrients in the water. By that, I mean our treatment plants, of course. All the water from residents in our area goes there. That is a cause for concern, and we must do our best to reduce it," says Beerda.

Municipality and residents: we can only do it together

Another objective is cooperation with municipalities. "It all starts with the Groningen-Noord-Drenthe water chain. A great partnership has been established here between the water companies, water boards, and all municipalities." Beerde explains that the water board within the municipality of Groningen is busy making agreements on how the region should deal with the issue of water. "I would love to see that happen by 2025."

Finally, Beerda mentions the importance of informing residents. “We have over 400,000 residents in our area, and almost all of them pay taxes. Taxpayers have a right to know what we do with that money. We can't talk about that enough. In addition, many people know too little about what we do as a water authority. So there's still a lot of ground to cover there as well.”