Amsterdam is at risk of drinking water shortage within 5 to 10 years

Due to the rapid growth of Amsterdam, the city risks a drinking water shortage within five to ten years. A spokesperson for the water company Waternet confirmed this after it was reported in Parool. Additional investments in the water system will be necessary, and this may make drinking water more expensive for residents.

To prevent a drinking water shortage, the extraction and production capacity will have to be substantially expanded, according to Waternet. This also applies to the capacity of the main network. This is necessary to be able to continue supplying drinking water with sufficient pressure. It is not yet certain exactly how much this will cost. However, the costs could have "an upward effect on the drinking water tariff", according to a projection about drinking water supplied through 2050.

The question remains whether the shortage will actually take shape in the future, the spokesperson said. At the same time, as the city grows, so to will the number of Waternet customers, and thus the amount of income the firm generates.