Due to the ongoing drought, there is officially a water shortage as of today. There is a greater national demand for water than what falls from the sky or flows into the country via rivers. According to drinking water company PWN, we don’t have to worry about drinking water for the time being. “The drought has not yet had any impact on the drinking water supply.” They do ask everyone to use water consciously.
PWN is therefore not taking any additional measures at this time. “In times of drought, we do call on our customers to be extra conscious and economical with drinking water from the tap and not to waste it,” says a company spokesperson. Jane Alblas of the Union of Water Boards agrees. “We always say that every drop counts.”
The drinking water company has some tips for using less water. “Use a watering can for the garden instead of a sprinkler and do not fill large swimming pools,” the spokesperson said. She also tips to keep the water in the bath clean so that it does not have to be replaced in between. And a tip that comes up more often: “Shower shorter.”
Actual water shortage
There are different levels of drought and as of today, level two applies: ‘actual water shortage’. The Water Shortage Management Team (WTM) now deals with the distribution of water throughout the country. The team consists of Rijkswaterstaat, water boards, drinking water companies, provinces and the ministries involved. Alblas of the Union of Water Boards explains that it is useful to have such a central point, for example for measures that transcend regions. “At the moment they are not taken, but it could be easier this way.” The last time it was this dry was in 2018.
It was previously known that dikes are being damaged by the drought. That’s why the Hoogheemraadschap is sending Hollands Noorderkwartier this week additional employees to check the dikes.
Text continues below the KNMI map. This card gives the precipitation deficit at.
In this phase, the demand for water is greater than its supply via rivers or rain. Alblas expects the demand for water to decrease again at the end of August. “Then the crops need less water because of the growth process and the weather may become cloudy again more often,” she says. “But at the same time it is also a matter of looking at coffee grounds. Last year there were floods in Limburg and now we are in this national drought crisis.”
“Although the drinking water is not at risk, the pressure in the pipes could decrease slightly,” explains Alblas. For example, PWN has already turned the pressure down a bit. “We have done that in the past without the North Hollander noticing much,” says the spokesperson. If the drought increases, there is also a level three, but according to Alblas we are really talking about a national crisis. She doesn’t expect it to happen this summer.
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