No free water at Arnhem festival where high heat injured five; Water cost over €14/liter
On Saturday there were no free water taps at the Legends of Rock festival in Arnhem, despite recommendations from authorities. At least five people became ill from the heat, as ticket holders had to pay 5.75 euros for 400mL bottles of water, RTL reported. At that price, festival attendants were spending nearly 14.50 euros per liter of water.
Ticket holders were also barred from bringing in their own water to the event location, where temperatures reached a high of 30 degrees Celsius. There was also very little shade at the Park Sonsbeek site.
The organizer said there were no free water points on the grounds, and placed responsibility for issues related to hot weather, heat stroke, and dehydration on ticket holders. “It is our policy that you may not bring your own food or drink. That is known to everyone,” he told the broadcaster.
One attendee, Alex, told RTL that those who bought the pricey bottles of water were basically forced to drink them in one go. "The cap was removed immediately so you couldn’t save it,” he said. Buyers were put in a position to either drink the water then and there, or risk it either warming up quickly or spilling it when jostled in a crowd.
The organizer defended the decision, saying it was not possible to hand out free water because of the expense involved. “We also have to recoup the costs,” he said.
However, regional public health authorities have made their position clear. Health officials at the GGD Gelderland-Midden location said organizers are advised to provide free drinking water, or one at least one free tap with potable water per 500 visitors. It also calls for sufficient shaded areas.
According to Alex and his wife Catherine, there were not enough shaded spots. “You are standing in the middle of a park where hardly any wind arrives. It was really just hot,” Catherine said.
This differed from other major events in June. Defqon.1 had planned extra shade and hydration measures for extreme heat before ultimately cancelling the festival for fear of public safety. They did this after a Code Red weather alert was issued in the Netherlands.
Pinkpop also took a different approach. Its organizers provided free water points, additional shaded areas and covered structures amid expected temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.
In the end, Alex and Catherine left the Legends of Rock festival early. “It got more crowded, and you couldn’t cool down. I don’t think that’s a healthy situation. Certainly not at this type of festival, where you go hard,” Alex said.
