Bruges to invest 6m euros in smarter water management
Bruges will invest six million euros in smarter management of its city water in the coming years, reported the Flemish public broadcaster VRT. Thanks to the project, it should in the future be possible to use the water of the canals efficiently during droughts to for example water the city’s greenery.
The city of Bruges is investing six million euros in a project on smarter water management, which is for 80 per cent funded by the EU.
“By renovating and automating the weirs in the canals, we can regulate the water level more intelligently, buffer the water, and use it where and when it is needed,” said Astrid Stroobandt, coordinator of the project, to the VRT. “To do this, we need to measure a lot: on the one hand, to know how much water is available; on the other, to know how much water the city's greenery needs.”
The city will amongst others install sensors that measure how “thirsty” trees are. Specifically, the sensors measure sap flow and stem growth. “By bringing all these data together, we can match supply and demand,” Stroobandt explained.
Water quality
In collaboration with archaeologists, the project is also investigating whether the 13th-century water mains of Bruges, known as moerbuizen, could also be part of the water network. This old system of pipes supplied the city with water for centuries and large parts of it are still under the Bruges city centre.
Finally, the project also focuses on water quality. For instance, Ghent University will develop a biological purification system in the Augustijnenrei canal to filter incoming water. This should amongst others reduce the risk of blue-green algae, which should also make swimming in the Langerei canal possible again.
#FlandersNewsService | Canal in Bruges © BELGA PHOTO IMAGEBROKER
Related news
