English

Het Waterschapshuis

Het Waterschapshuis is the executive agency on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the 26 regional water authorities in The Netherlands. Objective is to facilitate and promote the collaboration on ICT between these water authorities and other ‘wet sector’ government organizations.

Under guidance of Het Waterschapshuis, the water authorities perform a joint effort to improve the quality of digital service offerings to civilians and companies. In addition, the objective is to realize a considerable cost reduction on ICT spending.

Objectives

• Evidently improve the efficiency and the innovative strength of ICT processes of the Dutch water authorities; 
• Improve quality and reach of ICT applications used by water authorities; 
• Promote the independency of the water authorities from vendor applications; 
• Improve the image as a professional modern government; 
• Contribute to the most inexpensive and efficient administration of water authorities tasks and translation of the desired information policy to strategic use of ICT assets for suitable operational management; 
• Realize cooperation with other governments divisions and connected parties with respect to the domains mentioned previously.

History of Het Waterschapshuis

In 2002, ICTU, the Dutch national executive organization for ICT, initiated the program Waterschapsnet. Various water authorities joined the program, and in December 2005 the program was transformed to the foundation Het Waterschapshuis. This was necessary for the various projects within Het Waterschapshuis for which a legal status is required. Discussions are held with various suppliers to negotiate about master contract agreement(s), applications are managed and tenders are put out. The foundation Het Waterschapshuis is accountable by the Union of Dutch Association of Regional Water Authorities and the VDW (a Dutch acronym for Association of Water Authority Managers).

Mission

Efficiency controls collaboration

Through collaboration Het Waterschapshuis wants to raise the quality and quantity of ICT services and the innovative strength. This will improve the efficiency and supplier independency and results in cost reductions. Het Waterschapshuis wants to achieve this in a transparent and inspiring manner with attention to water authority supply and demand.