Coping with climate change in Amsterdam – a watercycle perspective

Amsterdam has the ambition to develop as a competitive and sustainable European metropolis. Water and Amsterdam are closely related, and water and climate change are closely related. Therefore, to be sustainable and economically strong, it is necessary for Amsterdam to anticipate the changes in climate that will take place in the Netherlands during the coming decades. Waternet, the watercycle company of Amsterdam and surroundings, has built a response strategy focusing on water management to contribute to the aim of making Amsterdam ‘waterproof’ for the next decades. This response strategy has two building blocks: adaptation and mitigation. With respect to adaptation the focus is on safety against flooding, discharge of rainwater without nuisance for the public, ecological healthy water in compliance with the European Water Framework Directive, a reliable drinking water supply in compliance with the Dutch Drinking Water Regulations and the European Drinking Water Directive, and an efficient and effective wastewater treatment in compliance with the European Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. With respect to mitigation the focus is on energy recovery from the watercycle and nutrient recovery from wastewater. The strategy is carried out in close cooperation with partners on a regional level and a national level.