In mid‑January 2021, State Secretary Van Veldhoven submitted the results of the policy review of Budget Article 13 ‘Soil and Subsurface’ of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) to the House of Representatives. This policy review was carried out in 2020 by advisers from Decisio, TwynstraGudde and Sweco.
Results of the policy review
For soil policy, we conclude that all covenants with regional authorities and the business community were effective during the 2014–2019 period. The quantitative targets set in these covenants were almost fully achieved, meaning that many urgent sites have been addressed. The more qualitative objectives, such as those relating to knowledge development and knowledge transfer, were only partly achieved. In particular, the transfer of knowledge to local authorities requires further attention.
In Bonaire, the instruments deployed contributed to achieving the objectives for a reliable drinking water supply. On Saba, a reliable water supply and a halving of the water price were realised, and work is underway to provide bottled drinking water. On St Eustatius, the reliability of the drinking water supply had not yet been secured during the review period. In November 2020, three projects aimed at improving reliability were completed: expanding drinking water production, increasing storage capacity, and widening and renewing the water transmission pipeline. In Bonaire, the continued operation of the wastewater treatment plant has been ensured.
Conduct of the policy review
Decisio regularly conducts policy reviews and evaluations within the spatial policy domain of national and regional governments. Where relevant, we do so in close cooperation with advisers from TwynstraGudde and Sweco.
The policy review for soil and subsoil concerned national policy in the period 2014–2019 and focused primarily on soil policy and on the reliability and affordability of drinking water and wastewater services in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The central question was the extent to which the policy contributed to the intended objectives, and whether any (intended or unintended) side effects occurred. The main research questions were:
- To what extent do the policy and the instruments deployed contribute to achieving the policy objectives? In other words: does the policy work?
- What is the relationship between the effects of the policy and its costs? In other words: have the resources been used efficiently?
The policy review of Article 13 and the resulting report were carried out in accordance with the principles set out in the Regulation on Periodic Evaluation Research (RPE; in force since 15 March 2018).
View the report and accompanying letter to Parliament
You can find the full report here. The accompanying letter to Parliament can be found here.
