Floods in Pakistan. Forest fires in southern Europe. Harvest lost in Africa. The effects of climate change often seem distant. But the problems are becoming increasingly visible in the Netherlands as well.
Extremely dry summers
Both 2018 and 2022 are in the top five the driest summers ever. And 2019 and 2020 were also drier than usual. The fact that we have had much less rain in the past five summers is a direct result of climate change.
The drought is drying up the Netherlands, so to speak. As the groundwater level is falling, the soil in many areas is also sinking. This can cause the foundations of houses to fail, which can cause enormous damage.
Dry summer, cracks in the facade
Bart van den Bemt knows everything. In the spring of 2018 he bought an old farm in the village of Gendt, a stone’s throw from the Waal. A few months later, the summer just ended, he saw cracks in its facade for the first time. His house was sinking.
The damage has only increased in the past few years. The drought did not go unnoticed this year. “We came back from vacation this summer. We wanted to open the front door. But it was locked. The door was simply locked due to the collapse of the house,” says Van den Bemt.
Not only peat, but clayey areas are also at risk
Van den Bemt’s house was not built on stilts. His house stands on clay and this is seen as a solid foundation. This is in contrast to the west and north of our country, where the soil consists mainly of peat. As this is fragile, the houses here have been built on stilts for centuries.
However, in recent years the Knowledge Center for Foundation Damage Approach (KCAF) has received more and more reports of foundation damage from clayey areas. The extreme drought causes the soil to settle, also because the rivers are low.
The soil then dries up, causing the centimeters to sink. As soon as it starts raining again in the fall, the ground expands again, making everything rise. This “mat effect” is disastrous for foundations, explains Frank van Lier, director of the KCAF.
Record the number of damage reports
This year alone, Van Lier received 2,000 damage reports. This is 70 percent more than in 2018. So it was already a dry year. He warns that this is just the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that one million homes are at risk of damage to their foundations.
In peaty areas, especially in the western part of the country, damage to foundations has been a problem for years. This is because the groundwater level has decreased in recent years. The piles of wood on which, in particular, the old houses were built, will therefore remain dry. As a result, they rot and houses sag.
Climate change is accelerating this problem, says Van Lier, because the drought is causing a further drop in groundwater levels. He therefore calls on water commissions to better regulate the level of groundwater in those areas. Although it is questionable whether this is sufficient in extremely dry summers.
Repair of the foundation quickly costs a ton
To put an end to the problems, the foundations of Van den Bemt will soon be repaired. And this is an expensive business. The foundation repair can easily cost 100,000 euros. And in some homes, the entire ground floor has to be demolished to get to the crumbling foundation.
We talk to Van Lier in such a house in Rotterdam, where the foundations are now under repair. “The resident has to leave his home for six months. He lost his kitchen, bathroom and living room. So, in addition to the foundation repair, there are also the costs for a new installation package. And what about the emotional damage. ? “
Damage repair fund
Van den Bemt hopes the government will intervene. “A normal person cannot suffer this. And I think it is a responsibility that also rests with the government. Because they are responsible for the land under my house.”
The KCAF, together with building associations, insurers and the Homeowners Association, supports a national approach from The Hague. For example, Van Lier cites a fund from which money can be borrowed to pay for the expensive repossession.
