Water shortage declared in The Netherlands; additional measures needed, LTO concerned

THE HAGUE (ANP) – The Netherlands is officially facing a water shortage. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced this following advice from the National Water Distribution Coordination Committee to raise the situation to this level.

Government authorities and drinking water companies are now considering additional measures to manage and distribute the available water, although it is not yet clear what these measures will entail.

Examples mentioned by the ministry include using weirs on rivers more actively and preparing additional pumping capacity. One possible measure is to partially open the weir on the River Lek at Hagestein to allow more fresh water to flow toward the western part of the country and help keep saltwater at bay.

According to a spokesperson for Rijkswaterstaat (the Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management), the decision mainly affects coordination between authorities. "It will make it easier to implement certain measures, especially those that affect multiple regions."

Water levels in the rivers have continued to decrease.

"In certain regions, drainage ditches have completely dried up," the spokesperson said. "The situation has not improved over the past few weeks and is unlikely to improve much in the coming weeks."

The ministry emphasised that there are still sufficient drinking water supplies. Nevertheless, the public is advised to use drinking water responsibly and conserve it wherever possible.

The Dutch agricultural and horticultural organization LTO is concerned about the ongoing drought in the Netherlands, and those concerns have increased now that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has officially declared a water shortage.

Jacco Hoogendam, Water and Soil Policy Advisor at LTO, said the escalation means the drought is expected to have an even greater impact on Dutch farmers and horticultural growers.

According to Hoogendam, the new status means that authorities can begin allocating the country's scarce water resources according to a nationally established priority system. The stability of dikes and the drinking water supply receive the highest priority. Agriculture will only receive water after these essential needs have been secured.

"The change in status does not mean this is happening already," Hoogendam stressed. "But it has now become a real possibility. It's hanging over the market."

In several parts of the country, farmers and horticultural growers have already been prohibited for some time from drawing water from ditches and streams to irrigate their crops.

Source: Nieuws.nl / ANP

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