Water governance in the Netherlands as a driver for better accountability

This chapter discusses the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement and economic regulation in fostering accountability in Dutch water governance. It provides insights on strengths and needed improvements of existing benchmarking systems for regional water authorities, municipalities and drinking water companies, as well as a menu of options for further transparency of information and performance monitoring. The chapter also discusses the origins, key actors and on-the-ground results of the Dutch “Polder Model”, its evolution in the context of the European Union incentives for public participation. It suggests ways forward for better inclusiveness of civil society at large and reflection of unheard voices (the environment) in the decision-making process.