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Farm drinking water

Farm turns rainwater into drinking water

There are around 40,000 homes in Flanders without a connection to the water grid. Farms are among the properties that are too far off the grid or face other obstacles. In Harelbeke, De Watergroep is researching the possibilities of small-scale local drinking water supplies. The study is part of the European SUPERLOCAL project.

The pilot project in Stasegem, a district of Harelbeke, was set up in 2018 and will continue until 2022. It focuses on a farming family that has been reliant on water from wells for many years. The many periods of drought over the past few years have had a significant impact on the amount of groundwater available.

introductie foto Farm turns rainwater into drinking water

Not on the grid

“As the property is situated next to a canal and motorway, the residents cannot be connected to the drinking water grid”, Head of Innovation Bert De Winter clarifies. “The distance is too great to establish a high-quality and affordable extension of the grid to serve just one family. Initially, the farm used well water for its commercial and private use, but with around fifty cows to look after, the demands placed on the well were significant. On top of that, a family with children needs clean, hygienic water. As water from the well could no longer meet their needs, we decided to explore other sources of water.”

Rainwater tanks

De Watergroep installed 2 20,000-litre rainwater tanks to capture water from the roof, as well as a container with multiple water treatment systems. These systems are used to locally produce drinking water out of rainwater. Water quality is continuously monitored via digital sensors. The pilot project is testing four different water treatment technologies. “If everything goes to plan, one of these installations will become permanent”, according to Bert De Winter. “Our goal is not only to provide one family with drinking water, but also to gain the necessary expertise. By doing so, we are making sure that other customers can also rely on De Watergroep to provide a small-scale drinking water supply in the short term.”

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