Consumption in the Copenhagen area has risen five years in a row, and HOFOR said in autumn 2026 that the year was on course for the highest use in more than 20 years. During a 2026 heatwave the utility's tanks could "see the bottom". The pressure followed a very dry spring: DMI recorded 103.4 mm of rain nationally in March–May 2026, 22% below the 1991–2020 normal.
A gap of 12 million m³ by 2040
HOFOR projects demand of 73 million m³ a year in its capital-region area by 2040, against production capacity of 61 million m³ in 2024. That leaves a shortfall of 12 million m³, or 16 million m³ if the capacity decline of the past 15 years continues. In 2024 contamination by PFAS and pesticides cost HOFOR 3.6 million m³ a year of capacity, at 8 of its approximately 50 well fields.
Zealand draws beyond its limit
GEUS assessed in 2023 that groundwater abstraction on Zealand exceeds 150% of the estimated sustainable resource. Nationally the picture is calmer, with water stress of 26.63% in 2023. The Copenhagen metropolitan area's population reached 1,408,575 in January 2026, up 10.0% in ten years, and municipal forecasts cited by HOFOR add about 100,000 people by 2035.
Few new sources on the table
Denmark produced 0.00 km³ of desalinated water in 2023, and a January 2026 decision ruled out treated wastewater for farm irrigation. HOFOR's main capital step, a rebuild of the Tinghøj reservoir that buffers supply against peak demand, awaits an investment decision after a Q4 2026 analysis. A DKK 7.5 million university-led project began on 1 April 2026 to model Zealand's water to 2050.
How Denmark's sources, contamination trends and 2027 groundwater decisions bear on supply, and which options remain for the capital region, are covered in the full report. The full report, Water Security and Supply Outlook in Denmark, is available for USD 249. For a free overview, see Denmark Country Snapshot.