Introduction
Background
The Netherlands is one of the countries with the best water supply in the world (Gunawansa & Bhullar 2013). The country also enjoys very high levels of water quality and accessibility for both urban and rural dwellers. According to a report by Hegger et al. (2010), Northern Europe enjoys a stable supply of clean water because of infrastructural developments. Following the end of the Second World War, many people started migrating from rural to urban centres in most parts of Europe. Leeuwen (2013) says that currently, over 70% of Northern Europeans stay in urban centres. The expanding population of urban dwellers has increased the demand for water in these settings. The trends in water use and consumption are also changing. Although the consumption of water has been stabilized at an average of 125 litres per person in a day since the mid-1990s, the changing lifestyle in the 21st century is putting more pressure on available water resources.
Many countries in Northern Europe such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Finland currently do not face serious challenges when it comes to the water supply. However, new consumption trends may pose a serious threat to the sustainability of the water supply. As Brown et al. (2015) say, water is becoming a scarce commodity, and its increasing relevance in socio-economic development is likely to put a further strain on its availability. The focus of this paper is to explore trends in water supply and consumption with the aim of proposing ways of improving sustainability in water use. The study will also explore ways in which technology can be used to increase water supply. According to Leeuwen (2013), countries such as Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which have scarce clean water sources, are currently using emerging technologies to desalinate seawater to help meet local demand. The current trends show that technology is going to play a critical role in enhancing sustainable water supply in the near future.
Research Questions
Clean water is one of the most important resources, and stakeholders within the country should appreciate the need to use it sustainably for current and future generations (O’Riordan, Sandford & Harford 2015). The following research questions guided this study in finding ways of enhancing sustainable water use:
- How can water trends be managed in more sustainable ways at a time when water use is increasing?
- How can emerging technologies be used to enhance sustainable water consumption in the country?
To answer the research questions above, it was important to have a clear method of collecting and analyzing data. The limited-time available for the study made it difficult to collect primary data from specific respondents. As such, the study primarily relied on the use of secondary sources. Literature was collected from journal articles, books, and reliable online sources.
Theory
According to Zimring and Rathje (2012), sustainable water use is currently one of the most important debates not only in Northern Europe but also in many other countries around the world. In the Netherlands and many other European countries, a number of private water companies have emerged, offering the product in different packages. The government is also committed to providing regular metered water supply to both the urban dwellers. However, Ghaffour, Missimer, and Amy (2013) warn that all the stakeholders involved in water supply and consumption must understand that sustainability of water supply is an issue that cannot be taken for granted. In the Theory of Sustainability, three pillars are described as being critical for any organization, whether it is a non-profit or for-profit entity. It is necessary to look at each of the three pillars, as shown in figure 1 below, and their relevance in improving sustainable water supply and consumption in the Netherlands and the entire of Northern Europe.
As shown in the above figure, to achieve sustainability one must look into the issues relating to social, environmental, and economic forces relating to the issue under investigation. From a social angle, it is important to ensure that residents of this country (both urban and rural dwellers) have access to clean water supply on a regular basis. Water sanitation is becoming a popular social concept as health experts try to empower people to overcome hygiene-related health problems (Huang & Cai 2013). It explains why the government and other private entities have committed to supplying this important commodity to the residents of the Netherlands in a reliable manner. When meeting these social needs, it is important not to ignore the environmental needs. Water is increasingly becoming a scarce resource not only in Europe but all over the world.
Climate change, especially the prolonged drought in some parts of the world and unprecedented floods, often affect the water supply. In Europe, cases of flooding often cause contamination of the supply of clean water. Sometimes the water supply infrastructure gets damaged by intense floods. As the resource continues to be scarce, there is a need to enhance responsibly water use. Shields et al. (2015) say that everyone should feel the need and responsibility to protect scarce resources within the environment. Economics is the third pillar. Brunner et al. (2014) observe that as people use water, they need to understand the economics of making the product available. The product should not be made available for free. Having metered water enhances the responsible use of the product. The proceeds can also be used to improve technologies meant to enhance harvesting and recycling of greywater.
Results
According to Amjad et al. (2015), the current trends in water use are not sustainable, and if something is not done soon enough, it may not be possible to guarantee the future generation of regular water supply. In most of the European urban settings, a new lifestyle is emerging that involves excessive use of water per person. The emergence of luxury showers and Jacuzzis means that the amount of water used by an individual per day is rapidly increasing. The increased standards of living in the Netherlands and most parts of Europe mean that many people can now afford such expensive lifestyles. Most of the hotels in the country are keen on ensuring that they provide their clients with luxurious showers where they can spend up to one hour or more (Shields et al. 2015). At home, many affluent families have installed bathtubs and other systems in their bathrooms that consume significant amounts of water. However, little has been done at the domestic level to harvest and reuse greywater.
The rate at which rainwater is harvested in most countries in Northern Europe is very low. Flint (2013) attributes this to the fact that accessibility to regular clean water supply currently stands at 100% unless there are major damages to the water supply infrastructure. People do not see the need to have an alternative water supply. The current trend must change. Athresha, Al-Habaibeha, and Parker (2015) warn that climate change is a reality and the global society must be ready to deal with the consequences, some of which are becoming more common and catastrophic, such as regular cases of flooding and cyclones. It was important to respond to the research questions to find ways of addressing the current problems.
How can water trends be managed in more sustainable ways at a time when water use is increasing?
Water as a basic commodity is often used to meet four basic needs, which include drinking, maintaining high levels of hygiene, sanitation, and preparation of meals. When meeting each of these needs, it is important to ensure that there is a responsible use of water. According to Verhoeven et al. (2014), the majority of people in Northern Europe are literate, and they understand the concepts of sustainability and climate change. However, it is unfortunate that their knowledge has never been translated into practice. Many people understand that water is a finite resource, but the changing lifestyle that most of the Europeans are embracing involves excessive use of water. The government of the Netherlands and many other governments across Europe have ensured that there is a steady supply of water at a reasonable cost. It makes many people forget the need to be responsible when using water. Water trends need to be managed in more sustainable ways using different strategies, as Al-Habaibeh, Meyerowitz, and Athresh (2015) observe.
Henkel (2015) suggests that a new policy should be enacted that sets the amount of water each family unit should use per month based on size and other unique factors under normal charges. Once the standard unit is exceeded, the charges for the additional unit should be higher. The new concept is not meant to be punitive. Neither is it meant to limit the amount of water that is used at a domestic level in an unfair manner. To the contrary, the new policy will make people feel responsible. They will appreciate the need to use water sparingly. When clean water is wasted through irresponsible practices at the domestic level, a further strain is put on the natural reserves of this product. When people are made to feel the consequences of their actions, they learn to be more accountable for their water use. They come to understand that their actions have consequences.
Brinkmann (2016) says that it is possible for the government to provide clean water for its people free of charge. In fact, that is the promise that some politicians often make when seeking elective posts. However, making real such promises may be a threat to scarce water reserves. People will forget the fact that water is a scarce resource that must be used responsibly. The government should also promote policies meant to improve the availability of seawater for domestic and industrial use. McKinney (2017) suggests that private entities can be given incentives if they can use recycled water as a way of reducing pressure on freshwater sources. Subsidies can be granted to corporations working on water desalination technologies. Such subsidies will motivate private water companies to invest more resources on water desalination technologies. Such initiatives have been embraced in various parts of the world. In California, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California was granted a $350 million subsidy by the government in 2009 to support its water desalination initiatives (Brown & Ward 2013).
According to McKinney (2017), a significant amount of water is wasted in some of the country’s finest hotels. As Murcott (2012) states, business units often strive to meet the needs of their customers in the best way possible. The emerging trends of water use force these hotels to provide these services to attract customers. The only solution is to increase the cost of the product to these institutions. They should feel the pain of wasting significant amounts of water on a daily basis. The pressure put on these hotels will make them more creative in managing water supply and consumption. They will appreciate the need to harvest and treat rainwater for various uses such as in the swimming pools to reduce the cost of water. It is expected that under such strict policies, these hotels may find ways of reducing water use.
How can emerging technologies be used to enhance sustainable water consumption in the country?
Technology can enhance water supply and consumption in Northern Europe. According to Brown and Ward (2013), countries that enjoy a regular supply of clean water should not wait until such a time that the resources start dwindling to come up with innovative ways of increasing the supply. Currently, various countries in Asia and the Middle East are using emerging technologies for desalination of seawater to meet domestic and industrial needs. Most of the European nations have not reached that level where they have to desalinate seawater to meet the local needs. However, technology can still be used to enhance the supply and to reduce over-exploitation of the existing reserves. The Netherlands receives regular rainfall throughout the year. Rainwater is relatively clean, and when treated, it can be used domestically for cleaning, bathing, in the toilets, and many other areas.
Currently, little is being done to harvest and use rainwater. However, it is important to change this trend. The government, working closely with private water companies, should use emerging technologies to harvest, treat, and supply rainwater for domestic use. Some of these private companies supply hot water specifically to be used in the showers and bathtubs. A new initiative should be developed where these private companies use treated rainwater instead of that harvested from the natural water reserves. The initiative is meant to increase the water supply to meet increasing demands without putting excess pressure on the natural water reserves. The emerging technologies can also help in reducing water used in the toilets by more than half. Flint (2013) says that Cistern replacement devices can be used in the toilets to reduce water used per flush to one litre.
A study by Henkel (2015) strongly suggests that it is important to ensure that water desalination is promoted even among countries which are water secure. Reverse osmosis (RO) desalination and thermal desalination are the two types of technologies used in seawater desalination. Countries such as Israel have established mega-scale desalination technologies that have assured them of water security despite the scarcity of water in the region. Over 45% of the basic water need in the country is met through the use of desalinated seawater. The Netherlands specifically, should set a target of about 35% of the basic water needs to be met using desalinated seawater to reduce the current pressure on freshwater sources.
Discussion
Making trends in water supply and consumption more sustainable than it currently requires the active involvement of the end-users because studies suggest that they contribute to huge wastage of water due to varying reasons. Targeting the end-users is specifically meant to change the emerging trend of excessive water use. In a study by Niman (2014), the optimum amount of water that an individual should use for various needs (drinking, bathing, and in the toilet) should be about 50 litres. In the Netherlands, consumption of water per person per day has been stabilized at 125 litres, which is about two and a half times the optimum volume. However, some people still find it difficult maintaining these national standards.
According to recent statistics, the number of people emigrating from the Netherlands is higher than those coming from other parts of the world to the country. In a report by Dodds and Bartram (2016), 121,000 people emigrated from the Netherlands to other European and North American countries. In the same year, 94,000 people immigrated into the country. Immigration tends to increase the population, which in turn leads to a high demand for water. With a population of slightly above 17 million people, it is not a big challenge meeting their water needs. However, the government and other relevant stakeholders need to come up with long-term plans.
Some developed countries are already hit by water shortage earlier than many had anticipated it would become an issue. In the United States, water scarcity is currently one of the main issues that the government is struggling to manage. Some of the most affected states include Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, and California. In most of these states, water shortage is caused by severe drought. Muthu (2016) reports that a city such as Las Vegas in Nevada sometimes experiences 339 dry days in a year. Phoenix in Arizona, Riverside in California, and Los Angeles in California are the other states that experience over 300 dry days in a year.
Europe is has a stable water supply for domestic and industrial use. However, a recent report by the European Union shows that there is an imbalance between available water resources and water demand (Boye & Arcand 2012). People are increasingly demanding more water than what can be sustainably supplied, and that may be a threat to the future generation. According to Flint (2013), over 11% of the population of Europe is already affected by water scarcity. Climate change is having a major impact in the country as drought become common in a region that had always received regular amounts of rainfall for the past several centuries. Schaltegger (2014) says that it is evident that water scarcity can no longer be considered a problem of just a few in Europe. All the 500 million Europeans and the residents of this region must now understand that the current environmental trends are not promising, and if the water usage practices are not changed, then more people will be affected by the problem.
The Netherlands is one of the countries where little has been done to harvest rainwater and to recycle greywater. The current supply has made such sustainable water management practices to be ignored by many. However, something needs to change soon to ensure that the luxuries associated with excessive water usage can be provided. The current technologies can substantially help in increasing water supply in Northern Europe, especially in the Netherland. The most important thing now is to promote public-private partnership in the country as a way of enhancing reliability in the supply of water. In the future, stakeholders need to address the problem of high costs associated with desalination technologies. More information needs to be made available on how to address the issue of high cost of desalination.
Conclusion
Making trends in water supply and consumption more sustainable should be one of the main areas of concern to the government of the Netherlands and all the residents of the country. The Netherlands is one of the most water-secure countries in the world. However, such statistics may not remain the same for long. The current high level of water security should not be a reason why people ignore the looming danger. The society has to act before it is too late. Soon, the country may start feeling the impact of dwindling water supply for domestic and industrial use. The findings strongly suggest that the country should rely on the emerging technologies to ensure that it remains water secure. Emerging seawater desalination technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) desalination and thermal desalination have gained popularity in the recent past, especially in the Middle East. The government, working closely with private stakeholders, should consider using these strategies to make seawater available for industrial and domestic use. The government should also create awareness among the public on how to use water responsibly with the aim of reducing wastage of water. It will help in reducing demand for this commodity.
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