National water shortage over; Effects felt for months, or even years, says Dutch gov’t

**Dutch National Water Shortage Declared Over, but Regional Impacts May Persist**

*The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced on Sunday that the national water shortage in the Netherlands has been downgraded, although the Association of Netherlands Water Authorities warned that the effects could linger for months or even years.*

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced that the situation has been scaled down from an “official water shortage” to a “threatening water shortage.” The decision follows deliberations by the Management Team of Water Shortages (MTW), which includes Rijkswaterstaat and the country’s 21 water boards.

The downgrade comes after the government elevated the shortage to level 2 – the second‑highest tier in the national drought response plan – on 16 July. Since then, the MTW has met weekly to coordinate national and supra‑regional measures. Among the actions taken was the temporary closure of the lock at Eefde, which restricted access to the Twente Canals and helped avoid a further escalation to level 3, a crisis level not seen since 2003.

Water boards implemented a range of preventive steps, such as keeping locks closed to retain water and prevent salinisation, and imposing water‑abstraction bans on ditches, streams and canals. The water board of Delfland in Zuid‑Holland was the first to issue such a ban, which subsequently affected greenhouse horticulture in the Westland region.

Recent rainfall and increased inflow from the major rivers have allowed some restrictions to be lifted. However, the Association of Netherlands Water Authorities cautioned that “especially in higher‑lying parts of the Netherlands and in areas where no supply of freshwater is possible, the effects are still visible.” The association added that the drought’s impact on groundwater could take years to reverse, and that the warm, dry summer will continue to affect nature, agriculture, maritime transport and water quality.

With the national crisis phase concluded, the MTW’s weekly meetings have been cancelled. The National Water Distribution Coordination Committee (LCW) will continue to advise the management team and assess the situation on a weekly basis.

*Reporting by ANP.*

Article and image source: nltimes.nl