It wasn't designed that way. In other locations in the city, street level is at least 150 cm above the water. But because of natural subsidence, ground water ex

It wasn't designed that way. In other locations in the city, street level is at least 150 cm above the water. But because of natural subsidence, ground water extraction, construction and peat oxidation, some parts of city's peat soil have subsided in the last few decades to only 25 cm above the water. https://www.delft.com/routes/delft-waterways-and-the-compartmentable-city-centre-canal-system/points/5 https://www.delft.com/routes/delft-waterways-and-the-compart...