The RIWA-Maas drinking water companies, which use the Meuse's water as a source, are urging the Belgian and Dutch governments to better monitor the river's water quality, particularly at low water levels.
Despite Belgium's drought leaving many sectors wishing for rain, water companies have taken a realistic approach and demand better government regulation.
The association extracts 500 billion litres of water from the Meuse each year to provide drinking water for seven million people but increasingly has had no option but to temporarily halt their water intake.
This is due to the river being contaminated by industrial discharges and pollutants, which are more difficult to dilute and drain when the water level is low.
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Maarten van der Ploeg, director of RIWA-Maas, stated in a press release that all industrial discharges that end up in the Meuse and its tributaries must be investigated as soon as possible.
“These permits must be complete and up-to-date and the substances that can harm drinking water production must be reduced as much as possible,” he added.
