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Responding to development of decentralised water provision

Ensure own vision, transparency and tailored solutions

More and more technical possibilities are opening up for citizens to produce their own drinking water and potentially disconnect themselves from the water distribution network. At the request of the water companies, KWR conducted a study in 2015 on an appropriate strategy to respond to this development.

Experimentation with a view to sustainability

The research showed that the key drivers behind the citizens’ initiatives are the experimentation with new technologies, the pursuit of sustainability and the desire for self-sufficiency. It also showed that decentralised drinking water production is not (yet) widespread in the Netherlands, and usually exists in combination with decentralised sanitation and energy generation.

Preparing for developments

The possibilities for decentralised drinking water production in the future are closely related to the development of a circular economy. The ways water companies can prepare themselves for future developments include creating their own vision, being transparent about the energy and environmental performance of the current drinking water provision, and studying how they could offer tailored drinking water supply solutions.

 

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