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🇧🇪 Belgium /Environment & Climate

Over 250,000 liters of pumped groundwater freely distributed in Belgium

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Over 250,000 liters of pumped groundwater are being offered for free in Wilsele-Putkapel, Belgium.
  • The initiative aims to prevent water waste by allowing residents, farmers, and the city's green service to reuse the water.
  • The groundwater is pumped for a new bicycle tunnel construction and is regularly tested for quality, though not for drinking.

Residents in Wilsele-Putkapel, Belgium, are benefiting from a unique initiative that provides free pumped groundwater for reuse. Since June, over 250,000 liters of water, extracted for the construction of a new bicycle tunnel, have been made available to the public.

The city of Leuven and the province of Flemish Brabant are promoting this effort to combat groundwater waste. Local residents can collect the water from a container on the construction site for use in gardens, vegetable patches, or car washing. Farmers and the city's own green service are also utilizing the resource to fill their water reservoirs.

This summer, the consequences of climate change have made themselves strongly felt. We cannot avoid pumping groundwater for major construction sites, but we must do everything we can to waste as little water as possible.

— Thomas Van OppensAlderman of climate and sustainability, commenting on the need for water conservation.

"This summer, the consequences of climate change have made themselves strongly felt," stated Alderman of climate and sustainability Thomas Van Oppens. "We cannot avoid pumping groundwater for major construction sites, but we must do everything we can to waste as little water as possible."

By offering the groundwater to local residents, farmers, and our own green service, we prevent them from using precious drinking water for tasks like watering plants and crops. We ask everyone, of course, to use the pumped water responsibly.

— Thomas Van OppensExplaining the benefits and responsible use of the initiative.

Van Oppens added that the Wilsele-Putkapel initiative demonstrates the success of water reuse. "By offering the groundwater to local residents, farmers, and our own green service, we prevent them from using precious drinking water for tasks like watering plants and crops. We ask everyone, of course, to use the pumped water responsibly."

While infiltration back into the soil is the primary choice for pumped groundwater, reuse is a logical next step when that's not feasible, according to Bart Nevens, Deputy of Mobility. The success of this project highlights the potential for similar initiatives elsewhere, with the city actively seeking other construction sites where excess groundwater could be made available.

But where that is not possible, reuse is a logical next step. The success of this action shows that there are many possibilities there.

— Bart NevensDeputy of Mobility, on the importance and potential of water reuse.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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