1 in 5 Flemish Families Distrust Tap Water, Survey Reveals

Nearly one in five Flemish families lack sufficient trust in their tap water, according to a new survey by the Gezinsbond (Family League) published on May 24. The Gezinsbarometer survey found that 10% of Flemish families consider tap water unsafe to drink, while an additional 9% filter it before consumption — figures that come against a backdrop of recent contamination incidents and controversial policy decisions in West Flanders.

Growing Trust Deficit

“The large majority of families find tap water safe for health, but one in five has insufficient or no trust,” said Pieter Ledeganck, policy officer at the Gezinsbond, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws. The findings reveal a significant trust gap that is far from theoretical: 37% of Flemish families overall choose bottled water over tap.

The regional disparity is stark. In West Flanders, where a series of water quality crises have unfolded over the past year, distrust is significantly higher — 15% of families do not trust tap water, and 51% opt for bottled water, compared to a 32% average in other provinces.

A Crisis of Confidence

The survey’s release follows months of troubling headlines about Flemish drinking water. In early May, the Flemish government approved a drinking water plan allowing triazole levels 10 times higher than EU standards in West Flanders until 2029. Triazoles — breakdown products of fungicides used extensively in agriculture — have been found in four water production centers serving hundreds of thousands of residents, with the De Blankaart facility in Diksmuide the most affected.

Just days before the plan’s approval, an illegal discharge of oxamyl — a nematicide banned across the EU since 2023 — was detected in the Grote Kemmelbeek in Reningelst. Concentrations reached 232 micrograms per liter, 2,000 times the permitted limit, according to VRT NWS. While water company De Watergroep stated there was no danger to drinking water due to dilution, the incident further eroded public confidence.

Ledeganck directly linked the policy response to the erosion of trust. “If there is a problem with drinking water, such as the presence of harmful triazoles in West Flanders’ drinking water, and the minister questions not the pollution but the standard, then that has an effect on Flemings’ trust in drinking water,” he told De Zondag.

A Regressive Burden

The survey reveals a troubling socioeconomic dimension. Bottled water consumption is significantly higher among vulnerable groups: 44% of non-Belgian origin residents choose bottled water, and 49% of single-parent families do so, compared to 35% for two-parent families. Higher education levels correlate with higher tap water consumption.

Ledeganck noted these are often financially vulnerable families, making the choice of more expensive bottled water economically contradictory. He suggested misinformation on social media may play a role in eroding trust. Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) has defended the water’s safety, stating: “The drinking water is safe today and will be even safer tomorrow,” as VRT NWS reported.

Calls for Stronger Standards

The Gezinsbond is advocating for several policy changes, including establishing a “child standard” for drinking water quality, recognizing that current norms are based on adult physiology and insufficiently account for children’s greater sensitivity. They are also calling for rapid implementation of new EU surface and groundwater directives into Flemish law, and better communication about drinking water quality.

What’s Next

The Flemish government’s drinking water plan gives West Flanders until 2029 to bring triazole levels back within EU norms. Minister Brouns has pledged faster monitoring and tougher action against polluters. Meanwhile, the Gezinsbond will collaborate with Ghent University’s Aquaglance project, which researches endocrine-disrupting substances in drinking water. The question remains whether the trust deficit will widen further with each new contamination incident — or whether stronger enforcement and clearer standards can restore confidence in one of life’s most basic necessities.