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🇧🇪 Belgium /Environment & Climate

Ghent's $90,000 blue-green algae experiment fails, preventing open-water swimming

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Ghent's 90,000 euro trial project to allow open-water swimming in three zones has failed due to persistent blue-green algae.
  • The project, intended to run from August 13-31, was canceled because of the algae and a prolonged heatwave.
  • Aldermen expressed disappointment as the algae blooms prevented the swimming initiative from proceeding.

Ghent's ambitious plan to open three zones for public swimming in open water this summer has been definitively thwarted by an outbreak of blue-green algae. The city invested 90,000 euros in a trial project that was scheduled to run from August 13 to 31, but the initiative has ended in disappointment.

Alderman Joris Vandenbroucke, representing Voor Gent, expressed his frustration, stating, "The blue-green algae continue to proliferate; we have had an almost constant heatwave." This persistent bloom, exacerbated by the unusually prolonged period of high temperatures, has rendered the designated swimming areas unsafe.

The failure of the project means that residents will not be able to enjoy swimming in these open-water locations as intended. The significant investment has yielded no positive results, highlighting the challenges of managing natural water bodies for recreational use, especially in the face of changing climate conditions.

The blue-green algae continue to proliferate, we have had an almost constant heatwave.

— Joris VandenbrouckeAlderman Joris Vandenbroucke (Voor Gent) explaining the failure of the swimming project.
About this summary

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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