Hoeilaart (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A €2 million water cleaning plant near Koningsvijver 5 in Hoeilaart will open by 2026. Patrick Huvenne says it will protect the IJse River and the Sonian Forest.
As VRT News reported, a new water cleaning system will be built at the ponds in Groenendaal in Hoeilaart, a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium. The Agency for Nature and Forests is doing this because the water in the IJse River is very dirty where it begins.
The river starts in the Sonian Forest and flows through Hoeilaart, Overijse, and Huldenberg. It joins the Dijle River later in a nature area called Doode Bemde. Many people care about the river because it is part of a green area with many plants and animals.
Officials mentioned that tests showed that the water near Groenendaal is not clean. Dirty water from them goes into the ponds. The new system will clean the water before it flows into the river.
What will a €2M water plant do for the IJse river in Hoeilaart?
Patrick Huvenne from the Agency for Nature and Forests is worried about the dirty water in the ponds at Groenendaal and the start of the IJse River. He says that rainwater from the nearby Brussels Ring Road carries harmful things like salt, oil, and rubber pieces from cars. This dirty water flows into the ponds and sometimes turns the water black. He says the problem is serious.
The dirty water harms the river right from the start. To fix this, the agency wants to stop the problem where it begins. They plan to build a water cleaning system that will remove the dirt from the water before it reaches the river.
A water cleaning plant will be built near Koningsvijver 5, close to where dirty rainwater flows into the ponds. The rainwater will move through a 170-meter pipe under the ground to the plant. There, it will be cleaned before it goes into the IJse River. The water will be added slowly and safely.
The project will cost about €2 million and should be done in 2026. It will protect the Sonian Forest and the Doode Bemde reserve. The Agency says this is a big step to fix old water problems.
