The Dutch authorities have officially declared a water shortage following the recent spell of abnormal heat and the ongoing drought, and have begun introducing additional water management measures. RTL television reported this.

According to the broadcaster, the volume of water flowing into the country has decreased due to a lack of rainfall and low river levels, primarily in the Rhine, while demand for water continues to grow. The government expects dry weather to persist in the coming weeks.

At the same time, the kingdom’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management emphasized that the measures being taken will not affect the supply of drinking water to the population. “Drinking water is available and will remain available to the public,” a ministry representative assured journalists.

As the broadcaster notes, the measures will be introduced depending on the situation in individual regions. In particular, the authorities will adjust the operation of dams on the Rhine’s tributaries to regulate water levels, prepare additional emergency pumps for use, and reduce the number of lock operations in order to limit the intrusion of salty seawater into inland freshwater bodies.

In addition, restrictions on water extraction from groundwater sources, as well as from rivers, streams, and canals, will be introduced in a number of regions. This could affect farmers in particular, as in some areas they will be prohibited from using water for irrigation.