PParaat

Water outage

Dutch tap water is almost always clean and available. Still, sometimes there is a fault, or you are told to boil the water for a while. This page explains what to do and how much water to keep at home.

Most official pages below are in Dutch. Where an English version exists, we link to it.

What can go wrong?

Most faults today are caused by work on the pipes, a burst pipe or contaminated water. If you live in a block of flats, a power cut also stops the pump that sends water up to your home (Denk vooruit, in Dutch).

No water comes out of the tap

First do this (Denk vooruit):

  1. Check that the main water tap is open. It is usually in the meter cupboard or the crawl space, near the water meter.
  2. Ask your neighbours whether they have water.
  3. Report the fault or check the list of faults on waterstoring.nl.

Do not drink water from a rain barrel or a ditch (Red Cross, in Dutch).

What is a boil-water notice (kookadvies)?

If tap water does not meet the quality standards, you get an NL-Alert. The advice is to boil the water for 3 minutes, let it cool and only then use it (Denk vooruit). Boiling kills bacteria and viruses (Vitens, in Dutch).

Use boiled water for (Waternet; Vitens):

Also use boiled water to clean baby bottles and dummies (Waternet).

Without boiling, you can: shower and wash your hands, cook food, wash dishes, clean and water plants (Waternet). You can also use the dishwasher and washing machine (Vitens). Do not swallow water in the shower or bath (Waternet).

How to boil it. Use a pan or a whistling kettle. Coffee machines often do not boil long enough (Waternet). Water companies do not give exactly the same advice about electric kettles, so follow your own water company’s instructions.

Storing boiled water. In clean, well-closed bottles in the fridge it keeps for a long time. In a pan with a lid on the counter, use it within one day (Vitens).

How long does it last? That cannot be said in advance. Usually four to eight days, sometimes longer. Your water company tells you when it is over, for example by email, text message or letter (Vitens; Waternet).

No water for more than 24 hours

If there is no tap water for more than 24 hours, the water company provides emergency drinking water. That is at least 3 litres per person per day: 2 litres for drinking and 1 litre for cooking (Denk vooruit).

So make sure you already have a clean bucket, empty bottles or a jerrycan at home.

How much water should you store?

Keep water for 3 days, at least 3 litres per person per day. Remember your pets too (Denk vooruit). For 2 people that is 18 litres, for example 9 bottles of 2 litres (Voedingscentrum, in Dutch).

You can buy bottled water or fill bottles with tap water yourself (Denk vooruit):

Bought water in closed packaging often keeps for years. Tap water you bottle yourself keeps for about six months to a year. Write the date on the bottle (Voedingscentrum).

You do not need special emergency water or an expensive kit. Work out in the wizard how much water your household needs. Or see the example for a couple or a family with 2 children.

Special situations

Where to find official information

You get up-to-date information from (Denk vooruit):

Sources

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