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The future of intelligent water management
ICT Group Water Congres 2025
- 7 November 2025
The anniversary edition of the well-attended conference focused on the future of intelligent water management. From innovative solutions for climate adaptation and smart water management to fascinating knowledge sessions about tendering for collaboration and the first steps with the digital twin. The congress showed how much power there is in a shared passion for water and industrial automation. For those who were there: hopefully you are still brimming with energy. And for those who missed it: this is the time to look forward to the 11th edition next year!
The water sector faces a huge challenge: keeping the Netherlands dry, ensuring the drinking water supply, and strengthening the infrastructure. And all of this in a rapidly changing world – technologically, politically, and climatically, as Karim Henkens, CEO of ICT Group, opened the Water Congress 2025. “At ICT Group, we have the knowledge, people, and drive to make a difference. Since 1978, we have grown to 2,500 colleagues in five countries, with over a hundred working daily in the water domain. Together, we develop smart, sustainable solutions: from tunnels to water management and from digitalization to AI. The Water Congress is about inspiration, meeting, and new ideas. The themes of the past ten years – standardization, digitalization, and data-driven working – remain relevant and form the foundation of our world.”
Data-driven working according to Schiphol Group
The inspiring keynote at the Water Congress 2025 was given by Maarten van den Outenaar, Chief Data Officer at Schiphol Group, where the journey towards data-driven work is in full swing. He spoke candidly about the challenges and successes of their data transformation: from fragmented initiatives to a central data organization with one strategy – data at the heart of every key decision. Schiphol’s mission is clear: to help every employee work better with data. It is not about technology, but about the people. Because real value is created when knowledge, experience, and technology reinforce each other. Schiphol shows that the power of data lies in adoption, collaboration, and trust. An inspiring example of how human expertise and AI together shape the future.
Interactive knowledge and panel sessions
After lunch, inspiring and interactive knowledge and panel sessions followed. Various water authorities are showing a clear movement towards collaboration, standardization, and digitalization, often with the help of ICT Group. Hoogheemraadschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden is modernizing its process automation with framework agreements and mini-project teams focused on knowledge sharing and joint risk management. Waterschap Hollandse Delta is developing a uniform, modular, and expandable OT environment for more than 700 objects, flexible enough to adapt to changing requirements. At Rijnland, the project team structure for the renewal of the AWZI Haarlem Waarderpolder ensures better control of complexity by bringing in expertise early. Brabant Water is taking a major step towards data-driven management with the development of a Digital Twin, providing real-time information and multidisciplinary collaboration for more efficient management and future-proof operations. In all these examples, collaboration based on trust is central, with shared knowledge leading to better results and sustainable solutions.
Want to know more about the presentations? Below this article you will find several highlighted presentations from HDSR, WSHD and Brabant water, among others.
People first
What an inspiring day! Ten years of the ICT Group Water Congress, and it is still brimming with ideas, collaboration, and progress. We saw how far the sector has come, but also how many opportunities are still ahead. From process automation to cybersecurity, and from standardization to data: it’s all about collaboration and knowledge sharing. Time and again, the message was clear that people must remain at the center of digitalization. Technology is only valuable when it supports, connects, and empowers people. That message came back time and again in the presentations, the conversations and the practical examples.
At ICT Group, we are proud to have been working with and for water managers for ten years to create reliable, secure, and smart solutions. We don’t do this just with technology, but especially with people, curiosity, and the drive to do better. The coming years will be focused on growth and connection. IT and OT will continue to merge, and data and AI will help us work smarter, safer, and more sustainably. The true power lies in collaboration: within organizations, across domains, and with each other. Let’s keep that energy going and continue learning, sharing, and building the future of our sector.
We would like to thank all speakers, participants, partners and visitors for their valuable contribution to the success of this anniversary edition of the ICT Group Water Congress. More information, retrospectives and current developments can be found on www.ict.eu.
Highlighted presentations
Tendering on cooperation
HDSR is modernizing 16 sewage treatment plants and 55 pumping stations, rolling out a uniform software standard with the support of ICT Group through a framework agreement. Together with market parties, HDSR works in mini-project teams, where scope and risks per object are determined jointly. “By collaborating and sharing knowledge, you prevent surprises and create structural value,” says Koen van Daal of HDSR.
Standardizing technical automation
Waterschap Hollandse Delta is modernizing the SCADA systems of more than 700 objects and rolling out a uniform system. The project places a strong emphasis on standardization and modularity. “From the start, we focused on as much standardization and modularity as possible,” says Bart Boerman of ICT Group. “New works of art must be easily added.” The system is updated twice a year, enabling the water authority to quickly respond to new requirements such as cybersecurity and functionality, according to Robert Doetsch.
Construction team construction: the new way of realizing projects
Guus Riteco of Rijnland Water Authority shared his experiences working in a construction team during the renovation and expansion of WWTP Haarlem Waarderpolder. The old plant is partly renovated and partly rebuilt, aiming for a future-proof installation that can produce 8 million m³ of biogas per year using Nereda and Ephyra techniques. Construction takes place with the plant still in operation, and about 200 specialists, including ICT Group for process automation, collaborate closely. “Early involvement of contractors makes risks and costs manageable,” says Riteco. The cooperative approach fosters trust, innovation, efficiency, and sustainable results.
First steps with the Digital Twin
Wouter Huisman of Brabant Water shared insights on making the drinking water process future-proof. With 19,000 km of pipes and 1.3 million connections, Brabant Water launched the SOFIA programme, featuring a digital twin of the network and smart sensors that transmit real-time data. This information feeds a ‘control tower’ where multidisciplinary teams monitor the network 24/7 and support field technicians. According to Huisman, this approach improves efficiency and reliability, fosters collaboration across departments, and better prepares the organisation for future challenges.
