Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: The trend directly aligns with the state’s global strengths in water technology and advanced manufacturing.
Wisconsin water technology companies have a prime opportunity to play a role in infrastructure improvements in the Netherlands.
Two high-priority projects for the Netherlands involve installing new water-related equipment and structures.
The Dutch government has introduced the 2025 Delta Programme with a focus on flood prevention, ensuring adequate fresh water supplies, and planning for climate change. Dike upgrades, coastal management, and river widening are among the flood control objectives. More economical water use and cleaner long-term development plans are also on the agenda.
The government said that through earlier efforts, €28 billion ($33 billion USD) had been the estimated price tag for the Delta Programme through 2050, but now, with climate change looming, the country’s dikes will need much more reinforcement and costs will climb.
Meanwhile, the European Union revised its Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in January 2025, strengthening water treatment rules, introducing standards for micropollutants, and encouraging the reuse of treated water. The directive tightens pollution discharge requirements and mandates better nutrient removal.
In 2024, U.S. exports of water-related equipment to the Netherlands grew 11% over the previous year. Overall, the U.S. was the second-largest supplier of goods to the Dutch in 2024, behind Germany.
The water-related strategies will demand advanced, scalable treatment systems and smart water infrastructure, and Wisconsin’s expertise in water technology may open doors for the state’s exporters.
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