Drinking water under pressure
Drinking water savings: time for results
Drinking water security is an urgent problem in the Netherlands. Dozens of businesses have had their applications for a drinking water connection rejected since 2022. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment warned in 2023 that if the Netherlands did not reduce consumption it would need 102 million m3 more drinking water in 2030 than in 2020. The Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) is responsible for drinking water security and has taken several initiatives, including water savings measures, to secure an adequate supply.
The Minister of I&W has set a goal for household drinking water consumption of 100 litres per person per day. The goal for business consumers is a 20% reduction relative to 2016-2019. Household consumption has fallen in recent years, but business consumption has risen.
The minister’s measurable goals are to be applauded but their achievement is uncertain. It cannot be taken for granted that consumers will use water more efficiently and a modest price increase will probably not reduce consumption. The minister is currently studying technical measures but their obligatory implementation will be a time-consuming process. Efficiency measures are making slow progress. Drinking water savings are difficult to achieve among households and the minister does not know which measures will be effective among business users. Furthermore, no information is available on the consequences of drinking water shortages.
In our opinion, it is doubtful that the minister’s goals to reduce household and business drinking water consumption will be met. Given the serious and urgent nature of the problems, the policy results are worrying.
The Court of Audit recommends that the minister facilitate a change in behaviour by making citizens and businesses more aware of the urgency of a drinking water shortage. He should also deepen his understanding of how businesses use drinking water. It would then be clear which measures were effective. The minister should further gain more information on the potential consequences of drinking water shortages and so improve insight into, for instance, the consequences for housebuilding.