Water use within the Dutch economy; Environmental accounts

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Water users Tap water Total use of tap water (mln m3) Tap water Use of drinking water (mln m3) Tap water Use of other tap water (mln m3) Groundwater Total use of groundwater (mln m3) Surface water Total use of surface water (mln m3) Surface water Total use of fresh surface water (mln m3) Surface water Total use of salt surface water (mln m3)
Total Dutch economy 1,203.2 1,095.3 107.9 941.2 12,072.2 6,789.8 5,282.4
Private households 767.2 767.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
A-U All economic activities 436.0 328.1 107.9 941.2 12,072.2 6,789.8 5,282.4
A Agriculture, forestry and fishing 42.6 41.8 0.8 52.9 17.5 17.5 0.0
B Mining and quarrying 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 37.6 2.1 35.5
C Manufacturing 182.7 88.9 93.8 78.3 3,101.2 2,344.5 756.7
10 Manufacture of food products 48.5 45.7 2.8 21.8 191.3 183.2 8.1
11 Manufacture of beverages 5.0 5.0 0.1 15.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
12 Manufacture of tobacco products 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
13 Manufacture of textiles 0.2 0.2 0.0 1.2 3.6 3.6 0.0
14 Manufacture of wearing apparel 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0
15 Manufacture of leather and footwear 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0
16 Manufacture of wood products 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
17 Manufacture of paper 2.6 0.8 1.8 4.5 36.7 36.7 0.0
18 Printing and reproduction 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
19 Manufacture of coke and petroleum 27.9 5.3 22.7 0.1 408.3 408.3 0.0
20 Manufacture of chemicals 51.1 17.4 33.7 3.7 2,268.3 1,703.6 564.7
21 Manufacture of pharmaceuticals 1.5 1.0 0.4 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0
22 Manufacture rubber, plastic products 0.5 0.5 0.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
23 Manufacture of building materials 2.1 2.0 0.1 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
24 Manufacture of basic metals 32.7 0.9 31.8 16.7 191.3 7.4 184.0
25 Manufacture of metal products 4.1 3.6 0.5 2.2 0.4 0.4 0.0
26 Manufacture of electronic products 0.9 0.9 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
27 Manufacture of electric equipment 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
28 Manufacture of machinery n.e.c. 1.4 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
29 Manufacture of cars and trailers 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 1.3 1.3 0.0
30 Manufacture of other transport 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
31 Manufacture of furniture 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
32 Manufacture of other products 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
33 Repair and installation of machinery 0.8 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
D Energy supply 10.0 2.0 8.0 3.9 7,629.9 3,139.7 4,490.2
E Water supply and waste management 6.1 3.9 2.2 801.9 1,286.0 1,286.0 0.0
36 Water collection and distribution 0.3 0.3 0.0 795.0 465.9 465.9 0.0
37 Sewerage 0.8 0.8 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.0
38 Waste collection and treatment 4.9 2.7 2.2 2.1 819.7 819.7 0.0
39 Remediation, other waste management 0.1 0.1 0.0 4.6 0.0 0.0 0.0
F Construction 13.1 13.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
G Wholesale and retail trade 32.9 30.0 2.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
H Transportation and storage 6.9 6.7 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
I Accommodation and food serving 26.8 26.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
J Information and communication 5.8 5.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
K Financial institutions 8.1 8.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
L Renting, buying, selling real estate 6.6 6.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
M Other specialised business services 21.5 21.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
N Renting and other business support 5.7 5.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
O Public administration and services 2.3 2.3 0.0 3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0
P Education 9.0 9.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
Q Health and social work activities 31.6 31.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
R Culture, sports and recreation 13.2 13.2 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0
S Other service activities 11.1 11.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
T Activities of households 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
U Extraterritorial organisations 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table presents the water accounts, being part of the environmental accounts compiled by Statistics Netherlands annually. This Water Accounting table includes the (physical) water use by the Dutch economy. A distinction is made between the use of tap water, use and abstraction (withdrawal) of groundwater and of surface water. The water used is allocated to the industries and households. Alternatively, tables selections can be made that show break down by economic activity (including households), by water type and annual use. Values are shown in million cubic meters of water (mln m³).

With tap water, a distinction is made between tap water of drinking water quality and other tap water. Other tap water is tap water with a lower quality than drinking water, or sometimes with a better quality, like demineralized water. This industrial water is mainly used by the chemical industry, metal industry, refinery industry, as well as electricity producers. For surface water a distinction is made between fresh surface water and seawater. Within all water types (except drinking water) a distinction is made between use for cooling and use for other purposes. The data are derived from a diverse set of sources, more about those sources can be found in chapter 4.

Data in the environmental accounts directly correspond to the economic data in the national accounts, that allows assessment of the impact of the economic activities of the Netherlands for the use of water taken from the natural environment in quantitative terms. From the water accounts bills, environmental indicators can be derived. As an example, the water use intensity for the different types can be determined for the Netherlands as a whole or for the break down by industry.

Data available from: 2003

Status of the figures:
The data for the respective years in the full time series in this table are final and the last three years are provisional.

Changes as of November 2026:
Data for 2024 have been added. In addition, the entire time series has been revised based on new data sources and improvements. Many variables for which data were previously unavailable can now be reported. The main changes are described below. A full explanation of the data sources and methodology can be found in Chapter 4.
A new data source has been introduced, namely customer records from drinking water companies. These records contain information on drinking water connections and volumes of drinking water supplied at address level. These data have been used to calculate drinking water use more accurately. This is particularly an improvement for drinking water use in the services sector.
Drinking water totals are now aligned with Vewin's final figures, rather than the provisional figures used previously.
Drinking water use is now also published by industry for the most recent years, whereas previously this breakdown was only available up to 2022.
The term 'industrial water' has been changed to 'other tap water' for clarity.
The totals for other tap water are now aligned with Vewin data. A new breakdown into cooling and other uses has also been introduced, based on data from the electronic Annual Environmental Reports (e-AER). This breakdown can be provided reliably from 2022 onwards.
The use of irrigation water in agriculture has been reclassified from surface water to other tap water, as this better reflects actual practice.
A new data source has been introduced for groundwater abstraction, namely the National Groundwater Register (LGR). This has provided new insights into groundwater use in the services sector, for which reliable figures could not previously be published. Estimates of groundwater use in the industry have also been improved using LGR data.
Improved data from the electronic Annual Environmental Reports (e-AER) have made it possible to distinguish between cooling and other uses of fresh surface water throughout the time series. Additional information is also available for the breakdown of tap water into drinking water and other tap water.
When will new figures be published?
The next publication will be in March 2027.

Description topics

Tap water
Tap water is purified or treated groundwater or surface water and transported through a network of pipes. Tap water can be either of drinking water quality (drinking water) or can be other tap water, having a lesser or better quality than drinking water.
Total use of tap water
Total tap water is the summation of drinking water and other tap water.
Use of drinking water
Drinking water is received and produced by the water supply companies. This is either purified groundwater or surface water being transported through a network of pipes or (tap) water network.
Use of other tap water
Other tap water is of lesser or better quality than drinking water.
Groundwater
Use of water pumped or otherwise abstracted from underground formations. This may be fresh water, but can also be brackish or salt water.
Total use of groundwater
Use of water pumped or otherwise abstracted from underground formations. This may be fresh water, but can also be brackish or salt water.
Surface water
Use of water abstracted from inland waters such as rivers, lakes, canals (except for groundwater), transitional waters, coastal waters, and, in respect of the chemical status, also should include territorial waters (i.e. the sea).
Total use of surface water
Use of water abstracted from inland waters such as rivers, lakes, canals (except for groundwater), transitional waters, coastal waters, and, in respect of the chemical status, also should include territorial waters (i.e. the sea).
Total use of fresh surface water
Use of fresh surface water such as rivers and lakes.
Total use of salt surface water
Use of marine surface water such as the sea.