Ongoing drought raises concerns over water shortages, wildfires

Vitens is finding it progressively harder to meet demand for drinking water. Even though the average water consumption in the Netherlands dipped slightly over the past year, the country’s largest water supplier is warning of expected shortages in the coming period.

In 2025, people in the Netherlands consumed an average of 119.1 liters of drinking water per day, about 0.5 liters less than the year before. Still, Vitens reported that overall demand continued to grow, driven by population growth and an increasing number of businesses.

Vitens reports that at peak moments, demand for drinking water increasingly exceeds its supply capacity. On warm days in particular, consumption surges, making it difficult to serve all customers. The company attributes this in part to a lack of available water sources, as well as infrastructure that is not built for the current level of demand.

Vitens provides drinking water to around 6 million people across Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Utrecht, and Overijssel, and to several municipalities in Drenthe and Noord-Holland.

Climate change is making the drinking water supply more difficult in two ways, according to Vitens. On the one hand, rising temperatures and more frequent droughts drive up water consumption. On the other hand, extreme weather events can worsen water quality and make extraction more challenging, for example, due to drying out of sources.

The risk areas for wildfires are expanding quickly. Because of persistent dry conditions, the highest alert level, phase 2, has now been issued by the fire brigade in Flevoland, Gooi and Vechtstreek, Twente, and North and East Gelderland.

Extended periods of dryness raise the likelihood of wildfires, which can spread rapidly and in unpredictable ways. In response, emergency services may deploy aerial reconnaissance, and authorities can impose bans on open fires. People visiting natural areas are urged to be cautious, especially with any sources of ignition such as matches, barbecues, or discarded cigarette butts.

Since Thursday, phase 2 has been applied in several Dutch safety regions, including Utrecht, Hollands Midden, Midden- and West Brabant, Brabant-Noord, Brabant-Zuidoost, IJsselland, and Gelderland-Zuid. A day earlier, on Wednesday, the highest alert level was already issued for Haaglanden, covering The Hague and nearby areas.

Brandweer Nederland has been warning since early April about a heightened risk of wildfires in Kennemerland and Noord-Holland-Noord, areas that include the Noord-Holland dune region.

CEO Tjeerd Roozendaal emphasizes the importance of a “water transition” and says that Vitens cannot achieve this alone. “Together with governments in their role as shareholders and policymakers, water managers, and Vitens, we must seek connection, align interests, and work towards a robust and sustainably designed water system.”