The Netherlands must act now to ensure sufficient clean and affordable drinking water even at the end of this century. So says the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) in a new advice to the government.

Without sharp choices, the obvious availability of drinking water will come under pressure from climate change, pollution and growing demand, the council warns. 'Grid congestion is also looming in our drinking water system,' says committee chairman Erik Verhoef.

Urgency

According to the council, the Dutch drinking water supply is still among the best in the world: reliable, of high quality and relatively cheap. It is precisely this success that makes the problem less visible. As long as water continues to come out of the tap, citizens and administrators feel little urgency, Verhoef argues. But behind the scenes, systems are running into limits. Some water companies are already failing to meet the required operational reserve of 10 per cent to handle peaks in demand. By 2030, forecasts suggest this will be true for a majority.

Water is scarce

According to the Rli, the threats come from three directions. First, the freshwater system is under pressure. Drinking water companies depend on groundwater, rivers and lakes. Both the quantity and quality of available freshwater is decreasing. In addition, climate change is leading to longer droughts and more extreme precipitation. Finally, demand is increasing due to population growth and economic activity. 'Water is already scarce,' says Verhoef. 'And we have been paying too little for a fantastic product for far too long.'

Public Health

The council compares the situation to the current problems on the power grid. There, too, signals had been visible for years but no action was taken. With drinking water, the consequences could be even greater, warns Verhoef. 'If electricity temporarily pinches, that is equally annoying and costly. But if drinking water comes under pressure, it directly affects public health and daily life.'

Space for drinking water

The advice calls for a broad approach. Not only drinking water companies, but also the state, provinces, municipalities and water boards must act. According to the council, drinking water must be given a permanent place in spatial planning. That means already reserving space for extraction, storage, purification and transport. Cooperation between water companies must also be intensified, so that they can help each other if fluctuations in supply and demand lead to problems.

Price incentives

In addition, the Rli advocates more conscious use of water. Because drinking water is relatively cheap, households often treat it carelessly. Two thirds of drinking water consumption takes place in homes, including showering. According to Verhoef, price incentives alone are not enough; behavioural change is also needed.

Technological solutions such as desalination or decentralised water systems can help, but are no panacea, according to the council. Better research into costs, energy consumption and scalability is needed first.

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