Resilient to water shortage

Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier (HHNK) wants to safeguard freshwater availability for the future as much as possible. HHNK's freshwater availability program is new and the program plan that has been drawn up for this purpose will be available for inspection in draft form from August 18. The program plan describes the task and ambition, the intended approach and the spearheads for the next eight years for freshwater availability. On September 11, interested parties and stakeholders are welcome to attend the information evening about the program at the office of HHNK in Heerhugowaard.

Due to increasing water demand and climate change, the availability of fresh ground and surface water is under pressure. In recent years, the trend of dry and warm periods became visible and palpable. It is expected that this trend will continue and peak water demand will almost double towards 2050. The current freshwater buffer in the IJsselmeer is not sufficient to meet the increasing regional water demand.

Hoogheemraad Jos Beemsterboer: "Especially in spring and summer, there can be too little freshwater available to continue facilitating all usage functions. Now is the time to do something about this together with our partners. This year is also very dry. To prevent more frequent freshwater shortages in the future and the need to impose extraction bans, we are working on a wide range of measures to make Noorderkwartier more resilient to future water shortages."

Urgency If no action is taken, water demand increases and water supply decreases. A water shortage will occur. In 2050, the expected probability of water shortage is significantly higher than today. According to the national Delta scenarios, the probability of water shortage will increase from now, once every 20 years, to once every 5 years or more often.

Once in 20 years water shortage

The aim of the Freshwater Availability Program is to ensure that the HHNK management area is resilient to water shortages by 2050. HHNK aims to maintain the current probability of a water shortage of once every 20 years in 2050, in line with the efforts of the national Delta Program.

Program plan content

The draft program plan sets out the goals and ambition level for freshwater availability. In addition, the plan provides a first look at possible measures for more economical use, increasing the freshwater buffer, sustainable groundwater management, salinization and combating subsidence due to drought. The expertise and policy regarding freshwater availability are still developing. This is why there is a strong focus on knowledge development and data accumulation. This is necessary to be able to arrive at effective concrete measures in the future.

Collaborate

Increasing resilience to water shortages cannot be achieved by HHNK alone. Cooperation with partners is essential. Over the past year, HHNK has therefore held exploratory talks with, among others, the province of North Holland, delegations of municipalities and land management organizations, the agricultural sector such as KAVB and LTO-Noord, PWN and the Agricultural Advisory Committee that advises HHNK on impending water shortages. Parties see the urgency of this issue and there is willingness to work together.

For public inspection and open evening

Residents and stakeholders can submit views on the draft Freshwater Availability Program Plan. The draft program plan will be available for public inspection from August 18 through September 29, 2025. This will be announced in the Water Board Bulletin (https://www.officielebekendmakingen.nl/waterschapsblad).

There will be an information evening on September 11, 2025 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the HHNK headquarters in Heerhugowaard, Stationsplein 136. Interested parties and stakeholders can then learn about the plans and ask questions.

You can sign up at www.hhnk.nl/inloopavondzoetwater