"Water is essential and also a key element to unlock the true potential of the circular economy. Overall participants of the cities and water conference in Leeuwarden in 2016 concluded that we underestimate the true value of water. Cities need to raise awareness of water issues and engage citizens in their solutions“.
Ferd Crone, Mayor of Leeuwarden
Our city is working on the water topic for more than a decade and the WaterCampus Leeuwarden is one of the outcomes of this process. Our mission is to contribute to solving both regional and global water issues.
WaterCampus Leeuwarden is the meeting point of the Dutch water technology sector and has the ambition to play a sector uniting role for the rest of Europe as well. WaterCampus encourages cooperation between (inter)national businesses, educational institutes and governments within the water technology sector, in order to create synergy for world class innovation, education and entrepreneurship. This strengthens the global position of the European water technology sector. Additionally, WaterCampus offers a unique research infrastructure, and is a meeting point for scientists and companies from all over Europe.
The international cooperation organized and encouraged by WaterCampus Leeuwarden leads to knowledge, talent and entrepreneurship which contribute to solutions for global water problems.
Water Campus Leeuwarden is formed by:
Being one of the initiators of the Urban Water Agenda, the City of Leeuwarden is currently developing a local Leeuwarden Water Agenda, providing a programme to deal with local challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, as European Capital of Culture in 2018, the city launched a water-related programme called WaterConnecting to create citizens’ involvement and awareness, and to high ight the opportunities and challenges for visiting tourists and representatives of companies and regions.
Interested in finding out more? Contact the EU representative of WaterCampus / Wetsus, Pieter de Jong (e-mail: Pieter.deJong[at]Wetsus.nl).
Graphic representation of the fields of action of WaterCampus
Updated: September 2017
Peter Luimstra (Programme Manager Water and Energy)
Peter Luimstra is a programme manager for Water and Energy who works together with WaterCampus and Leeuwarden's municipality in order to support sustainable innovative water technology SMEs in the region.
Location within country
Leeuwarden lies centrally in the province of Friesland situated in the Northern part of the Netherlands close to the Wadden Sea. Water is never far away in Friesland with its lakes and isles.
Number of inhabitants
122,000
Main economic sectors
- Agro Food
- Services
- Tourism
Source/s of water supply
Groundwater
Main utilities providing water and waste water services
Vitens and Wetterskip Fryslan
More information: www.leeuwarden.nl