It turns out that the land of canals and windmills still has some water problems; while the water shortage is over, it doesn’t mean the problem is solved.
The country known for keeping water out doesn’t have enough in it. The past exceptionally warm Dutch summer has caused a national water shortage in the Netherlands.
Although it seems that it is already over and we don’t have to worry about not having water in our taps for the next few months, the problem is not actually solved, reports RTL Nieuws.
Not as good with water as we thought?
You might think that for the Dutch the sky’s the limit when it comes to water, but in reality the country struggles with having enough water for every household.
“Water comes out of the tap, that seems obvious, but it’s not,” the Dutch water companies wrote in a new report.
They warn that future generations in the Netherlands may have a less secure supply of reliable drinking water than they do now. Only the past hot summer resulted in the drying up of the water extraction sites.
It’s not just because the Dutch can’t get enough of drinking water either. In fact, their nice, clean water is used to wash cars, flush toilets, keep golf courses green, and cool entire factories.
READ MORE: The land of dykes and canals is short of water
The report argues that water management should be higher on the list of priorities in terms of spatial and economic planning of the Dutch government.
A new crisis is on the way!
According to Vewin, one of the biggest struggles when it comes to problem solving is getting permits to expand water extraction sites.
This problem is not being helped by the government’s plans to build 900,000 new homes by 2030. There simply aren’t enough places to mine, the NRC reports.
READ MORE | Dutch engineering expertise and water management — big business in the Netherlands
And the result? Dutch water companies can no longer guarantee the availability of clean water at every tap.
If you ever find your bathtub without water, it might be time to consult the late fashion editor Diana Vreeland: why not wash your child’s hair with champagne?
What do you think about the water storage problem? Tell us in the comments!