De Telegraaf previously reported that a crisis team was convened to take measures. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, there has been an “imminent water shortage” since the middle of last month. Now the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management speaks of an “actual water shortage.” This activates the so-called displacement sequence. This is a statutory measure that gives priority to important areas if a limited amount of freshwater is distributed. This was already in force in the Vallei en Veluwe water board, but now in the whole of the Netherlands.
The first priority in this plan is to keep the dikes safe and to prevent irreversible damage to nature and peatlands. The stability of the dikes is important for national security. Settlement of the soil and irreversible damage to nature due to drought and salinization must also be prevented, because that can never be repaired. After that, the freshwater will be used to maintain the drinking water and energy supply. Other stakeholders – such as industry, agriculture and shipping – join later in line.
Measures
Minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) also wrote to the House of Representatives on Wednesday that the Water Shortage Management Team (MTW) will be convened for the first time since 2018. This team consists of Rijkswaterstaat, water boards, drinking water companies, provinces and three ministries and is allowed to decide on measures that affect several regions or are even national.
Filling the pool
The drinking water supply is not endangered, according to the government. Minister Harbers does ask all Dutch people to “think carefully whether they should wash their car or fill their inflatable pool completely.” According to Harbers, “on the basis of current developments, it is conceivable that the drought will affect more social interests. I find that very annoying for those involved.”
Due to the ongoing drought, various measures were already in place. For example, in parts of the country there is a ban on spraying for agriculture. Ships are also not allowed to overtake each other on parts of the Gelderse IJssel. The fairway has become narrow here because of the low water level. Moreover, the water level of the IJsselmeer is kept as high as possible because a lot of drinking water comes from here.