Hot August: 15 million m3 potable water extra
Due to the warm weather in August Dutch water companies produced 15 million cubic metres more potable water than in August 2002.
Total potable water production in August 2003 exceeded 115 million cubic metres. This is an increase of 15 percent.
Potable water production in August, by origin of the water
Annual trend: slightly decreasing except for August 2003
The water companies produced about 1170 million m3 of potable water a year in recent years. The volume of potable water produced by the water companies has been decreasing slightly in recent years.
August 2003 was the exception. Although June and July were also hot and dry, the increase in the production of potable water was not as strong as in August.
The August increase occurred in all types of water production. Compared to August 2002 some 18 percent more ground water was raised and 9 percent more surface water processed. The increase of infiltration water reached 13 percent.
Potable water production in June, July, and August
Cooling water for industry and power plants
Industry and power plants are collecting their own huge quantities of water, 3.0 and 10.6 billion m3 respectively in 2001. This water, mainly surface water, is used as cooling water. There are no figures available yet about the amount of cooling water used so far in 2003.
Problems with the production of electricity this summer were mainly due to the high temperature of the surface water and not with the available amount of cooling water.
Leendert Pleijsier
Source: Statline