The costs are rising, among other things, because new investments are needed to improve the substandard digital security of the drinking water supply. Money is also being spent to reduce the concentration of pfas in drinking water and prices are being adjusted to wages and inflation. On average, drinking water costs in Amsterdam therefore rise by 5.9 percent.
For single-person households, the bill increases by about 8.40 euros per year to about 125 euros. That is an increase of more than 7.1 percent. A year earlier, costs rose by just 2.7 percent.
Two-person households will pay an average of EUR 10.30 more in drinking water next year. The total bill comes to about 168 euros. That is an increase of more than 6.5 percent. In comparison, costs rose by 3.3 percent last year. Nationally, the increases in drinking water are between 1 and 8 percent, writes De Vries.
The costs broken down
Most consumers of drinking water in Amsterdam are single and two-person households. They use 49 and 98 cubic meters of water per year respectively. The price tag of one cubic meter of water will rise from 83 cents to 87 cents in 2022. In addition, the fixed costs, for example for maintenance of the water pipes, rise from more than 76 euros to almost 83 euros.
Some of the inhabitants of Amsterdam do not have a water meter; for them, the costs must be estimated in advance. For this group, the bill increases by 7.6 percent. According to De Vries, this increase is higher than for metered households because the group turned out to be smaller than expected and the costs can therefore be spread over fewer people.
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Digital security and pfas
Since April 2021, Waternet has been under stricter supervision because the digital security turned out not to be in order. Systems were outdated and there was ‘insufficient discipline’ to carry out even basic maintenance, wrote Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) and Amsterdam alderman Sharon Dijksma (Water and Air Quality). 2 million euros has now been reserved annually to make up for this overdue maintenance and to implement an improvement plan by the Municipal Executive.
In addition, 1 million euros has been budgeted for the reduce the amount of pfas in Amsterdam drinking water. PFAS (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances) are man-made, difficult-to-degradable substances that can be found in fire-fighting foam and non-stick coatings, for example. In too high concentrations they can harmful are for people and the environment. With the budgeted 1 million euros, Waternet will carry out a trial to replace the carbon filters in the Leiduin and Weesperkarspel production locations more quickly.
Amsterdam’s drinking water is safe to drink, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) stated earlier. It also complies with European regulations with regard to pfas concentrations. But because there is more and more knowledge about the harmful substances, Amsterdam wants to be ahead of new European regulations. Pfas values in Amsterdam drinking water are higher than elsewhere in the country, because the drinking water here is extracted from surface water. In other parts of the country, drinking water comes from groundwater, where much less pfas pollution is found.
Shortage of drinking water
In addition to adjustments to wage and price increases, amounting to more than 1.5 million euros, drinking water costs are also rising because drinking water reserves have to be maintained. The city has grown so fast in recent years that within five to ten years a shortage of drinking water threatens, as it turned out before.
Maintaining the reserve, together with tightening up digital security, is the largest cost item (almost 2 million euros). In the past, parts of the reserves have been used to mitigate price increases, but “legally, the reserve cannot be negative,” said De Vries. That is why this option to keep the rates lower is not applicable this year.
Energy bill
Waternet has not had a flawless year in any case. Last summer, more than 16,500 Amsterdammers received suddenly a double bill on the mat due to IT problems within the company.
The increased water bill comes on top of a more expensive energy bill for Amsterdammers, as a result of, among other things, rising gas prices worldwide. At the beginning of last month, the government and the municipality already took measures to ease that pain. In this way, all citizens receive an average of 400 euros compensation from the cabinet and the municipality of Amsterdam is taking steps to to soften blows at minimums.
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