The quality of Dutch drinking water was high in 2024. This is stated by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) in the Drinking Water Quality 2024 report sent to the House of Representatives today. Clean and safe drinking water is vital for a healthy society. Therefore, strict quality standards apply to drinking water in the Netherlands.
Read the Drinking Water Quality 2024 report here.
The ILT supervises the quality of drinking water based on the Drinking Water Act. Drinking water companies are responsible under the Drinking Water Act for supplying clean and safe drinking water. The inspectorate assesses the results of drinking water quality measurements and intervenes when the quality or safety of drinking water is at risk.
In 99.84% of the measurements, the drinking water met the set quality standards in 2024. It should be noted that it is becoming increasingly complex for drinking water companies to maintain this high level of quality. This is partly due to pollution of sources, climate change, and aging infrastructure.
Boiling Advice
Although the drinking water met the set standards in almost all measurements, in 2024 a large-scale boiling advice was issued 5 times for areas with more than 10,000 connections. This was due to microbiological exceedances. The drinking water company advised boiling tap water for consumption for 3 minutes first. These incidents were resolved through timely intervention by the drinking water companies.
The incidents also emphasize the need to anticipate climate change. Since extreme weather conditions, drought, and high groundwater levels combined with aging infrastructure not only increase the risk of contamination but also water shortages.
