Basic layer: Water-conscious behaviour

A precondition for society to properly prepare for the potential consequences of waterlogging and flooding is water awareness: everyone in the Netherlands needs to know that extreme downpours, high water or a combination thereof can lead to problems, damage or even dangerous situations. This was demonstrated by the extreme downpours in the summer of 2021 in Limburg, Germany and Belgium. Awareness of such risks enables society to better prepare for them. Residents, businesses and governments will then have a better picture of what they can do to prevent waterlogging and know what to do when faced with waterlogging or flooding. This also includes accepting the risks of waterlogging and flooding, assuming your personal responsibility in this regard and acting accordingly.

What is already being done to raise water awareness?

The following studies and tools are intended to raise water awareness:

• The Living with Water website is intended to raise water awareness in the Netherlands and to help residents prepare for waterlogging.
• Study among residents of Limburg: In 2023, the Limburg Flood Risk Management and Spatial Planning Programme (WRL) commissioned research agency Enneüs to conduct a study among Limburg residents into their climate awareness and coping capacity. The aim was to produce a concrete basis for the provincial policy on communication to residents.
• Conducting housing scans in Limburg
• Under the national Water-conscious Behaviour Strategy, an approach is being developed to make residents aware of potential waterlogging situations, so they know what to do in such situations. The report Water-conscious behaviour in the event of waterlogging due to extreme rain is a first step in this regard. It describes four behavioural interventions that governments can use to effect changes in behaviour among residents and entrepreneurs.
• Water label: This website shows the water resilience of individual houses and how it can be improved.
• Do not wait for water: This website has been set up by government authorities in Limburg to better prepare residents for waterlogging. It presents extensive information for residents on waterlogging and on measures to prevent it.
• Dordrecht municipal strategy: The municipality of Dordrecht seeks to make all its residents, businesses, organisations and schools water-conscious, among other ways through the groenblauwdordrecht.nl website.