Environmental inspectorate complains about too many damaging substances in the water

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) has said that there are too many damaging substances in the groundwater, rivers, streams, and canals. These include substances from manure, PFAS, medicine residues, tiny pieces of plastic, and pesticides.

The inspectorate wants the government to do more to protect the quality of the water. The organization thinks the permits need to be tightened and monitored more closely. They claim that society is experiencing damage from pollution: "drinking water, food supplies, health, and nature are all being endangered."

It can be complicated to remove some substances, like PFAS, which are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, from the water. This leads to regional water authorities and drinking water manufacturers increasingly losing money on cleaning the water, and civilians are dealing with the consequences of that. Instead, it would simply be more beneficial if fewer problematic substances were discharged into the water, the Inspectorate said.

The ILT added that the ministries are also not working together on this. They claim that the Ministries of Agriculture and Infrastructure have not done a good job of coordinating their rules on pesticides and fertilizers.

Outgoing minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) wrote in a letter to the lower house of Dutch parliament, the Tweede Kamer, that his ministry and the Department of Agriculture are in talks with the Dutch Water Authorities, the Association of Dutch Municipalities, and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about how to improve supervision and enforcement.