Smarter water use becoming essential for the food sector

The Netherlands and water — they seem inseparable. Yet concerns are growing about a structural water shortage, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Demand for clean drinking water keeps rising, while groundwater sources are under increasing pressure. Companies in the food industry feel this directly. Without water, production stops — it’s as simple as that. Circular water use could offer relief, but the road toward it is still full of obstacles.

Drinking water where it’s not needed

At many food companies, drinking water still flows through pipes where it doesn’t have to. Cleaning, cooling, irrigation — all processes that could use other water sources. The problem: the law doesn’t allow it. In the food industry, only drinking water can be used. Meanwhile, demand keeps growing as production expands. The technology for water reuse already exists in abundance, yet too often remains unused.

Low water price creates a barrier

“Water is very cheap in the Netherlands. In Belgium, for example, you pay much more,” says Marcel Lambregts, Water Relationship Manager at Rabobank. As a result, companies are hesitant to invest in circular systems — there’s simply no business case. That changes when the pressure suddenly drops due to a water shortage. “I know of a case where a food processing company was forced to shut down temporarily because of such an incident. That means loss of revenue and reputational damage.” According to Lambregts, reuse systems can reduce drinking water consumption by an average of 15 percent, which helps stabilize water pressure.

Legislation and fragmentation

But price isn’t the only hurdle. Legislation also limits the use of treated wastewater. Drinking water in the Netherlands is of exceptionally high quality, ensuring food safety. Yet with the right technology, treated wastewater can be even cleaner than drinking water.
Another challenge lies in the fragmented responsibility for water management. Drinking water companies, municipalities, water boards, and provinces each control part of the chain, making coordinated decisions difficult.

To break this impasse, companies, governments, research institutes, and the water sector are working together in the project ‘Route and Opportunity map for circular water use in the food industry’. Their shared goal: to find smarter ways to keep water shortages under control.

Topsectoragrifood.nl