Rationale and Contextualisation

Wetterskip Fryslân (WF), the regional water authority of Friesland, plays a vital role in managing water levels, ensuring dike safety, and maintaining water quality across the province. As a steward of water systems and infrastructure, WF’s operations intersect with some of the most resource-intensive and climate-sensitive sectors in the region- energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and biodiversity.

Recognising the climate and resource challenges of the 21st century, Wetterskip Fryslân has set an ambitious dual goal: to become climate neutral by 2030 and fully circular by 2050, as outlined in its Climate Programme.

These ambitions extend beyond internal operations; they guide the entire water management value chain. To reach 100% circularity by 2050, every investment and design decision made today must anticipate future reuse. This includes infrastructure such as dikes, pumping stations, and treatment plants. For example, when replacing a pumping station or renovating a dike in 2050, Wetterskip Fryslân wants to ensure that all materials used can be repurposed.

Water is increasingly being recognised not just as a vital natural resource but as a carrier of valuable raw materials. Every drop of wastewater holds the potential for reuse, energy generation, and material recovery. As such, WF’s ambition is to no longer treat water as a waste stream, but as a source of high-value circularity. Water plays a crucial role in Friesland, which is known for its numerous lakes, canals, and waterways. It also supports production processes in circular transition sectors such as hydrogen, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable food.

In doing so, WF’s circular vision aligns with global resource challenges and local sustainability goals, particularly those outlined in national agreements like the Green Deal, Klimaatakkoord, and the Regional Energy Strategy. The organisation’s ambitions also support Friesland’s overarching vision to become a model circular region in Europe

History and Reason for Creation

Wetterskip Fryslân’s circular journey began under the banner of climate action. In 2017, it published a pioneering ‘climate umbrella’ strategy that laid the foundation for a climate-neutral, future-proof organisation. Initially focused on climate adaptation and mitigation, the strategy quickly expanded to include a broader circular economy lens, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As climate adaptation and mitigation priorities evolved, so did Wetterskip Fryslân’s focus on circularity. By integrating circular principles into daily operations, Wetterskip Fryslân has kept circularity at the core of all decision-making processes, from procurement and infrastructure to workforce and innovation.

Aim, Structure, and Governance

Wetterskip Fryslân’s circular economy mission is threefold:

Become climate neutral by 2030

Achieve 100% circular operations by 2050

Embed circularity into all water and infrastructure projects, from design to execution

To operationalise this vision, Wetterskip Fryslân has adopted a structured and phased approach. The Climate Programme outlines ambitions to become climate neutral by 2030 and fully circular by 2050. The Raw Materials Agreement sets tangible targets: since 2023, Wetterskip Fryslân demands 100% circular materials, tenders 100% circular projects by 2030, and aims to reuse 50% of raw materials. A dedicated Roadmap for Climate-Neutral and Circular Assets provides impact assessments per asset group, and the Implementation Plan for Circular Business Operations ensures internal processes align with circular goals. Additionally, WF has committed to zero-emission equipment and a zero-emission fleet.

Circularity and climate neutrality are mutually reinforcing: by using raw materials more circularly, significant reductions in CO₂ emissions are achieved. The combination of systemic planning and project-level action drives this transition.

Wetterskip Fryslân’s ambitions are operationalised through strategic programs and participation in collaborative platforms. Key examples include the Energy and Raw Materials Factory (EFGF), which focuses on large-scale recovery of materials like phosphorus, cellulose, and bioplastics from wastewater, and the WiCE (Water in the Circular Economy) initiative, a joint research project with KWR Water Research Institute that envisions a fully circular water chain by 2050, grounded in refuse, reduce, and redesign strategies.

Wetterskip Fryslân’s operations are also guided by national policy frameworks and regional implementation tools like the Frisian Regional Monitor for Circular Economy, which tracks progress on emissions, energy use, and resource recovery.

Projects and initiatives

Wetterskip Fryslân is actively planting the seeds for future scale-up by implementing several innovative circular economy initiatives. These initiatives demonstrate circularity in practice while also serving as pilots for broader replication.

Resource Recovery: Materials such as phosphate, cellulose, bioplastics, and effluent water are recovered from wastewater streams. Wetterskip Fryslân seeks to collaborate with partners to integrate these materials into new value chains.

Innovative Local Wastewater Purification: Projects like Waterschoon and Spoordok focus on decentralised wastewater treatment, recovering resources like biogas, heat, and fertiliser pellets, and producing high-quality water for reuse.

Cellulose Pilot Project: Cellulose recovered from wastewater is tested in infrastructure applications such as cycle paths, offering a new route for material reuse.

Friesland Climate-Proof 2050+: A long-term vision for a sustainable water and soil system, with circular principles at its core.

Demo Site Leeuwarden: This location serves as a testbed for circular innovations and the development of scalable solutions.

Participation in Wetsus: Wetterskip Fryslân collaborates with Wetsus to contribute to cutting-edge research in sustainable water technologies.

Circular Construction Projects: Projects like the circular pumping station at Kalverdijkje, the use of recycled concrete, and ‘green dikes’ exemplify circular construction.

WF also runs several flagship circular water projects for which it is renowned. These are the Water Clean 2.0 project, which pilots an innovative system designed to treat household wastewater at the source in 200 households. Through this system up to 100 litres of water per household can be saved. Another frontrunning project is the Sludge-to-Clay pilot project which is a collaboration with It Fryske Gea and Waddenzeedijk to transform incinerated sludge into usable clay for dike reinforcement.

These pioneering projects reflect Wetterskip Fryslân’s role as both a water authority and an innovation leader.

Beyond these projects initiatives to boost circularity in infrastructure and procurement are also central to WF’s actions. Wetterskip Fryslân invests significantly in long-lifespan infrastructure—pumping stations, dikes, and treatment plants. Circular principles are embedded into the design phase of all future builds. For instance the Kalverdijkje Pumping Station which exemplifies a pioneering circular construction project, completed with a higher cost and time investment, but seen as a “learning lab” to build capacity and internal buy-in. An example of how circular procurement is integrated is through circular workwear and catering. In partnership with the Circular Commissioning and Purchasing programme, WF has adopted circular procurement principles for textiles and food services, prioritising transparency, functionality, and social value.

Furthermore, as a signatory of the Clean and Emission-Free Building covenant, WF is taking steps to decarbonise construction and maintenance. Pilot projects include the use of electric vessels and temporary EV charging units for construction in aquatic environments.

Beyond water related implementation, WF has co-created Grienskip BV- a joint venture with Caparis and Empatec, operating under the Participation Act. It offers job training and reintegration opportunities for people distanced from the labour market, especially in green and maintenance-related roles such as invasive plant removal and nature-friendly watercourse management. This showcases a holistic version of the circular economy that ensures benefit for both people and the planet.

The Frisian Approach 

Wetterskip Fryslân takes a pragmatic, iterative approach to its circular transition. Rather than striving for perfection from the outset, it prioritises experimentation, resilience, and continuous improvement. Challenges, such as those faced during the Kalverdijkje project, are openly acknowledged and used as valuable learning opportunities. This reflects the regional approach to circular economy implementation, where collaborative and iterative learning play a central role.

At the core of this approach is a strong internal culture of openness, collaboration, and curiosity-principles that also define Friesland’s broader circularity strategy. Cross-functional teams are encouraged to innovate, take ownership, and co-create new circular standards. Within WF, there is a shared understanding that working on innovative circular projects requires a learning process that accommodates trial and error, ultimately leading to success.

Wetterskip Fryslân’s approach to circular water management aligns with the wider Frisian ethos, which not only focuses on actions and initiatives but also emphasises the collaborative process. Rooted in trust and community, this process integrates both bottom-up organic measures and top-down efforts, fostering a culture of learning by doing and learning together.

Regional Significance and Uniqueness

Wetterskip Fryslân stands at the intersection of Friesland’s most powerful assets: water, land, and community. Its work supports not only circular economy goals but also regional ambitions in climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and energy transition.

The organisation’s focus on water-related circularity complements broader regional strengths in biobased materials, agriculture, and construction- positioning Friesland as a leader in systemic, place-based circular innovation. Wetterskip Fryslân is unique in its approach to collaboration- embedding circularity across the entire chain, from procurement officers and engineers to citizens and conservationists. Its focus on ‘mienskip’- community-rooted cooperation- ensures that its impact is both top-down and bottom-up.

Tracking Progress and Impact

Wetterskip Fryslân uses a range of monitoring and reporting tools to ensure accountability and enable learning:

Climate & Water Quality: The Klimaatmonitor for water authorities, in place for over a decade, tracks climate-related indicators.

Circularity Monitoring: Progress is measured using tools like the DGWW2030 Dashboard (focused on sustainable infrastructure), as well as metrics on resource recovery and soil reuse.

Clean & Emission-Free Construction (SEB): Wetterskip Fryslân participates in the SEB programme, which sets concrete targets to reduce NOx, CO₂, and PM10 emissions in construction- fostering cleaner, quieter, and healthier building sites by 2030.

CSRD Reporting Roadmap: A voluntary sustainability reporting roadmap will be developed by mid-2025, enabling benchmarking with other organisations.

Outcomes and Impact

Though WF’s circular transition is ongoing, it has already contributed to a number of impactful circular economy outcomes including high-profile pilots in biobased material recovery and innovative wastewater treatment, structural integration of circularity into procurement and infrastructure, active workforce participation and job creation through Grienskip, and ensuring climate-neutral energy operations (weather-permitting) from 2025 onward.

By 2050, the ambition is clear: water will no longer be treated as waste, but as a carrier of energy, materials, and renewal. Wetterskip Fryslân is leading the charge, one project at a time.

Conclusion

Wetterskip Fryslân’s circular and climate-neutral ambitions are not abstract targets- they are being brought to life through coordinated planning, targeted policies, collaborative innovation, and rigorous monitoring. From wastewater to dikes, from procurement policies to demo sites, the organisation is laying a foundation for systemic change. By embedding circularity in infrastructure, operations, and partnerships, Wetterskip Fryslân is not only future-proofing its own work but positioning Friesland as a European frontrunner in sustainable water and climate management.