Belgian water company De Watergroep plans to store millions of litres of drinking water underground, in anticipation of future drier summers.
The company previously attempted underground water storage at a site in Dixmude. However, the project was not successful.
A new feasibility study has been initiated in Audenarde and Aalst. The plan is to store hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of drinking water about one hundred metres below the surface.
The water would be injected in winter and then pumped back up in summer. “It’s a reserve for the summer,” summarises De Watergroep’s General Manager, Hans Goossens.
In Aalst, a site with a capacity of 150,000 to 200,000 cubic metres of drinking water could offer a reserve of 150 to 200 million litres. This could potentially meet the needs of 10,000 to 15,000 households during a drought period.
This approach could diversify Flanders’ water supply, as currently half of its drinking water is sourced from the Albert Canal.
