AWWA JAW17311

Virtually all rural households in the Netherlands are now supplied with piped and treated drinking water. This feat was largely accomplished over a forty-year period, beginning in the 1920's, by a combination of self-help, sensible but affordable water rates, and partial government subsidies to promote extension of water services by regional utilities to remote areas. This article describes the N.V. Waterleiding Friesland (WLF), a water utility collectively owned and operated by the communities it serves, which by 1975 had delivered water to 99.9 percent of the farms and residences in the Friesland province. The planning, personnel, pricing, and management policies of the WFL contributed to the WFL's success and were adopted by other rural water service extension programs. The Friesland water company is typical of Dutch regional rural water supply organizations, all of which have developed the scale, internal staff expertise, financial stability, and public support necessary for continual improvement and extension of water supplies into isolated rural areas. Includes 4 references, figures.