Overview
- Waterschap Brabantse Delta expanded restrictions on July 31, 2026 by imposing a full ban on taking water from the Aa of Weerijs, the Bovenmark, the Molenbeek and the Ever.
- The previous hours-only ban that barred drawing water between 09:00 and 21:00 has been tightened to a total prohibition for those specific beken.
- The earlier exception for capital-intensive crops such as fruit trees has been removed, affecting growers who relied on surface-water access for irrigation.
- Water may still be used for firefighting, filling sprayer tanks and as drinking water for livestock, and daily enforcement has led to seven orders with fines before compliance improved.
- Other regional water boards have also cut surface-water use to prevent bank erosion and falling water quality, a measure intended to protect habitats while inflow from elsewhere remains scarce.