QUALITY CHALLENGES IN DIRECT AND INDIRECT POTABLE WATER REUSE IN THE NETHERLANDS

Description

The Netherlands faces intensifying pressures on freshwater resources due to climate variability,
droughts, and upstream pollution. Drinking water supplies from the Rhine and Meuse are
already subject to de facto reuse, with treated effluents forming a significant fraction of river
flows, particularly during dry summers. This reality underscores the urgent need to formalise potable reuse within a robust framework that integrates microbial, chemical, treatment, and governance dimensions. Indirect potable reuse (IPR) through dune infiltration remains a cornerstone but is constrained by limited capacity and space. Direct potable reuse (DPR) is increasingly viewed as a technically feasible alternative, though it removes the protective buffer of natural barriers and places full reliance on engineered and monitoring systems.

Period	13 Jun 2025
Event type	Workshop
Location	Delft, NetherlandsShow on map