Water extraction and water consumption in the Netherlands, 1976-1996
| Extraction | total1) | groundwater | surface |
| water | |||
| million m3 | |||
| 1976 | 13 373 | 1 301 | 12 072 |
| 1981 | 14 811 | 1 068 | 13 743 |
| 1986 | 14 527 | 1 177 | 13 350 |
| 1991 | 12 559 | 1 097 | 11 462 |
| 1996 | 9 778 | 1 024 | 8 754 |
| Specification 1996 | |||
| Water companies | 1 267 | 814 | 453 |
| Industry and refineries 2) | 2 315 | 209 | 2 106 |
| Electricity plants | 6 196 | 1 | 6 194 |
| Other businesses and | . | . | . |
| families | |||
| Consumption | total1) | ground | surface | tap | of which for |
| water | water | water | cooling | ||
| million m3 | |||||
| 1976 | 13 405 | 438 | 11 852 | 1 115 | 12 032 |
| 1981 | 14 830 | 357 | 13 421 | 1 052 | 13 258 |
| 1986 | 14 543 | 372 | 13 000 | 1 171 | 13 109 |
| 1991 | 12 576 | 255 | 11 026 | 1 295 | 11 083 |
| 1996 | 9 810 | 210 | 8 300 | 1 299 | 8 274 |
| Specification 1996 | |||||
| Water companies | 52 | 0 | 0 | 52 | - |
| Industry and refineries 2) | 2 529 | 209 | 2 106 | 214 | 2 104 |
| Electricity plants | 6 199 | 1 | 6 194 | 3 | 6 170 |
| Other businesses and | 1 030 | 0 | 0 | 1 030 | - |
| families | |||||
| Source: CBS. | CBS/EDC/Oct02 | ||||
| 1) Excluding extraction of groundwater and surface water by agriculture and horticulture. 2) Including mining and quarrying. | |||||
Developments in water extraction and consumption
Since the start of the 1980s, total extraction and total water consumption in the Netherlands have been falling. The fall in water consumption is mainly the result of the more efficient use of cooling water by industry and energy companies. Surface water is the main source for industry and energy companies; the drinking water companies, by contrast, mainly extract groundwater.
Electricity companies are the largest consumers of water by far. In 1996, approximately three-quarters of all water consumed went on water for cooling purposes in this sector. Households are the largest consumers of drinking water. As a result of water-saving measures, the consumption of tap water by households started to fall in the mid-1990s.
Relevance
Extracting groundwater can have such an effect on the local water table that desiccation results. During warmer periods, discharges of cooling water can have a negative effect on the oxygenation conditions of the surface water, because less oxygen is dissolved in warm water. Leaks, for example, can also result in various pollutants being discharged with the cooling water.
Technical note
For the period in question, total water consumption slightly exceeds extraction. This is mainly due to imports of tap water. The table does not include data on the extraction of groundwater and surface water by the agricultural sector (irrigation for arable crops and horticulture under glass). These data can be found at water consumption in agriculture and horticulture.
References
- CBS (1998). Watervoorziening van de industrie en elektriciteitscentrales 1996. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
- CBS (2002). Statline. Openbare watervoorziening. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium
- Water consumption in Dutch agriculture and horticulture, 1991-1999
- Water consumption by Dutch industry, 1976-2001
- Water consumption by the energy industry in the Netherlands, 1976-1996
- Introduction to desiccation theme
- Water-saving features in Dutch housing, 1993-1998
- Household water consumption per capita in the Netherlands, 1980-2001
Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium
- More information about water supplies can be found on Statline of Statistics Netherlands.
