Climate change, pollution, high demand put drinking water availability under pressure
The availability of clean drinking water in the Netherlands is under pressure. Demand is growing due to population growth and economic development, while less and less fresh water is available because of climate change and pollution. The Netherlands needs a national approach to keep the taps running in the future, the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (RLI) said in a recommendation to the Cabinet on Thursday, NOS reports.
The first signs of pressured supply are already visible. Dozens of companies are on a waiting list to be connected to the drinking water network. It is also becoming increasingly common to stop the intake of river water due to contamination with PFAS substances, medicines, cosmetics, or agricultural chemicals. At this stage, these can be regarded as isolated incidents. But they will only increase, the RLI warned.
According to the advisory body, the Netherlands falls short in the organization of its drinking water supply. Current reserves are insufficient to withstand prolonged periods of drought, and administrative fragmentation results in insufficient cooperation. Worryingly, the drinking water supply also often loses out when competing with industry or agriculture for the use of fresh water sources.
Drastic measures are needed to ensure that the Netherlands has sufficient, clean, and affordable drinking water until the end of the century, the RLI said. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management needs to work with drinking water companies, local authorities, and knowledge institutions to develop a national strategy. The design of the freshwater system cannot be left to individual companies or provinces. And the use of drinking water must be fully taken into account when making choices on competing industries, including housing construction, agriculture, nature, and industry, the RLI said.
Water quality must be improved urgently, the RLI said. This can be achieved by accelerating the implementation of measures to comply with the European Water Framework Directive.
Consumers also need to adjust their behavior to combat a drinking water shortage. Households currently consume over two-thirds of the drinking water. Installing water-saving shower heads and toilet systems can help, but behavioral change will be the deciding factor. And that will be difficult, as research shows that citizens’ sense of urgency is limited when it comes to drinking water shortages.
Raising water prices could help increase that awareness. But because water is cheap in the Netherlands, the RLI questions the extent to which a price hike will have an effect. Moreover, higher prices will hit low-income households disproportionately. The RLI suggests investigating whether an extra high rate for excessive use, combined with paying for water based on usage, will have an effect.
