Belgium's Worst Drought Since 1970s Threatens Drinking Water Supply
Roughly 80% of Belgian territory is now experiencing a marked precipitation deficit, KMI meteorologist Pascal Mormal told a public broadcaster. Southern Belgium has been hit hardest, though parts of West Flanders and Limburg have seen rainfall closer to seasonal norms.
In Uccle, home to KMI's long-term observation station in Brussels, forecasters expect just 21 to 22 millimeters of rain this month — barely a third of the typical monthly average of 65 millimeters. Mormal said no meaningful rainfall is likely in the near term, with substantial precipitation possibly withheld until November.
"For such a long, uninterrupted period of drought, we have to go all the way back to the 1970s," Mormal said, warning that current conditions already rival the 2018 drought and could deteriorate further if dry weather persists.
The extended dry spell is now squeezing water production capacity. Vivaqua, which supplies drinking water to Brussels and numerous municipalities across Wallonia and Flanders, may be forced to further curtail extraction at its Profondeville plant on the Meuse River — a facility responsible for roughly 30% of the company's total output.
The impact is rippling across the Wallonia Region, where 17 municipalities have already imposed restrictions on drinking water use. In Libramont, in Luxembourg province, authorities have deployed tanker trucks to shore up local supplies as reserves run low.
Flanders has so far held at a code-yellow drought alert, urging heightened vigilance but stopping short of imposing new restrictions.
Forecasters anticipate wetter weather in November and December, but officials caution that a quick downpour won't solve the crisis. Sustained, steady rainfall over an extended period will be necessary to recharge groundwater and depleted reserves — since heavy, sudden rain often runs off before it can soak in.
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