Rijkswaterstaat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rijkswaterstaat, founded in 1798 as the Bureau voor den Waterstaat, is part of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. Its role is the practical execution of the public works and water management, including the construction and maintenance of waterways and roads. The agency was also involved in the construction of big railway projects such as the Betuweroute and the HSL-Zuid.

The mission of the organisation is: "Rijkswaterstaat is de rijksdienst die werkt aan droge voeten, schoon en voldoende water én aan de vlotte en veilige doorstroming van het verkeer" (Rijkswaterstaat is the national agency that provides dry feet, clean and sufficient water and a quick and safe flow of traffic). The agency is divided in 10 regional, 6 specialist services and 2 special services.

The director-general (DG) of Rijkswaterstaat is as of June 1 2003 Ir. Bert (L.H.) Keijts.

As of January 1 2006, Rijkswaterstaat is a (executive) agentschap (agency).

[edit] Regional services

Rijkswaterstaat is divided in regional services, formerly known as directies. Every regional service is managed by a hoofdingenieur-directeur (HID). The regions are divided in local water- en wegendistricten (water and road districts), formerly known as dienstkringen. In the past, every province had its own regional organisation, but the directies Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe are merged, forming the directie Noord-Nederland; and the directies Overijssel and Gelderland are merged to form the directie Oost-Nederland. The following regional services exist: