Drought in Zoetermeer: ​​’Within the margins, but we keep a close eye on the level

It is dry in the Netherlands, especially for this time of year. Can we do something about that in Zoetermeer? Or will we be okay with the drought?

What about the drought in Zoetermeer? We asked the Schieland and Krimpenerwaard Water Board and the Rijnland Water Board about the situation in and around Zoetermeer.

With too little we let in more water

“The water level is neither too high nor too low,” explains a spokesperson for the Schieland en Krimpenerwaard Water Board. “We check daily, but we are still within the margins. For now there is enough fresh water and if there is too little we let in more water. This extra water comes from the Hollandse IJssel and the Nieuwe Maas. It flows through so-called boezems and the water enters the city via the polders.”

Garden watering

Can we still water our gardens with ditch water? “Yes, that is allowed, but the quality of the water is not constant”, warns the water board. “The chance of algae is high. The water is fine for the plants, but don’t swim in it.” Do you want to take a refreshing dip on these hot days? Check the swimming water app or the website swimmingwater.nl for appropriate advice.

Drought expert speaking

Niko Wanders is the drought expert in the Netherlands and assistant professor of Hydrology. He talks about the current situation in the Netherlands. Niko: “We always have a chance of a dry period, but the chance of drought increases every year. In the past you had a drought once every ten years, now it is once every five years. It’s really bad luck that we’ve been dealing with drought for four of the past five years.”

Using previously stored water

“The fact that we had very little rain in March and April has a consequence. We are now using the water we have stored over the winter ahead of schedule. What we need is a period of about twenty days of good drizzle rain,” says Niko. “That rain calmly penetrates the ground and can then replenish the groundwater level well. An ‘ordinary’ shower helps, of course, but not enough to straighten the balance. We need a longer period of rain for that.”

Save water yourself

Can Zoetermeer residents do something themselves to combat the drought? “Everyone can help not to waste drinking water. Take a shorter shower, do not spray your garden with tap water and do not wash your car. If you want to do something in the longer term, you have to remove tiles from your garden so that the rainwater can penetrate into the ground in more places. But then of course it has to rain,” says Niko.

Future drought

He continues: “In the future, we will suffer more from extreme drought. Just think of 2018, you only experience that drought once every forty years. In that future, that will be once every fifteen years. We must therefore, if it starts to rain again, keep the water with us as best as possible. Not just for now, but also for the longer term.”

Do you think the water level is not going well or do you see dead fish or plants in the ditches? Then report it to your water board. There are two active in Zoetermeer: ​​the Water Board of Schieland and Krimpenerwaard and the Rhineland Water Board† check here which water board you need to be at by entering your zip code and then submit your report online to the correct water board.

Zoetermeer Weather