Researchers work to prevent Greater Copenhagen from running out of water

For the vast majority of Danes, a hot shower in the morning is a given. But as early as 2040, residents of the Copenhagen metropolitan area may face the risk of running out of tap water. This is according to a forecast from Denmark’s largest utility company, HOFOR.

In a major new research project involving universities and the drinking water industry, Denmark’s leading water experts will investigate how they can prevent this alarming future scenario.

Better Cooperation on Water Allocation

Among other things, the experts will examine how water management on Zealand can be optimized so that the resource lasts longer.

“We need to determine whether it’s possible to collaborate more on, for example, water distribution. This requires us to establish rapid models that link resources and consumption,” says Professor Hans-Jørgen Albrechtsen, who represents DTU in the project. He emphasizes, however, that this is only one of many necessary solutions.

“Another important factor is protecting groundwater from pollution, as it is the backbone of Zealand’s water supplies, and the entire infrastructure is built around it. And then it’s necessary to explore better options for establishing new water sources—in short, to investigate the possibilities of supplementing our current water resources with others,” he says.

“Act Now”

According to HOFOR, the reason for the impending water shortage in Greater Copenhagen is the population, which is expected to increase by 100,000 over the next 10 years.

If nothing is done, forecasts indicate that by 2040 there will be a shortage of 12 million cubic meters of water in the metropolitan area—equivalent to the total annual water consumption in the City of Odense.

“We are responsible for ensuring that one million residents have access to water every day, and drinking water must flow when they turn on the tap. That is why we must act now,” says HOFOR CEO Henrik Plougmann Olsen in a press release.

The goal of the research project is to conduct a series of calculations on developments on Zealand leading up to 2050 and to propose solutions to the looming water shortage.