Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Vivaqua completed a €38 million renovation of 14 kilometres of Zennekokers in Brussels after 22 years, overcoming challenges like water flow, rain, and mosquitoes to secure water infrastructure.
As VRT News reported, the Zennekokers, the underground pipes that carry water from the Zenne river through Brussels, have been completely renovated in a major infrastructure project after 22 years. This undertaking, which cost approximately 38 million euros, was carried out by Vivaqua to ensure the long-term reliability of the city’s water supply.
As officials say, though the work is of gigantic proportions and magnitude, the people might not pay much attention to the changes as the pipes lie completely underground and cannot be seen. The work of renovation was necessary in order to keep the water system of the city in running order, even if the result is mostly invisible to the people of Brussels.
Why did Vivaqua take 22 years to renovate the Zennekokers?
The Zennekokers, which are underground pipes that carry water from the Zenne river through Brussels, needed to be fixed. The biggest problem was how to keep the river flowing while the pipes were being replaced. Because there were 2 pipes, Vivaqua could manage the water. They sent the water through one pipe while they worked on the other.
But it was still hard to control the water flow. Olivier Broers, who works on studies and investments at Vivaqua, said it wasn’t easy to make the river go through just one pipe. However, there were valves in Anderlecht that helped. These valves let Vivaqua control the river’s flow, so they could direct the water while they fixed the pipes.
“Vivagua of course, has different yards,”
Broers explains.
“Sometimes other works were more urgent, and then we had to put this yard on hold for a while.”
One of the major projects comprised replacing 14 kilometres of pipeline, a replacement that was mandatory because of the degraded condition of the installed ones. The underground concrete pipes installed during the years between the 1930s and the 1950s had become badly weakened after serving several years in place, a state that necessitated a fear regarding their safety.
According to project director Boy, the ageing system had reached a critical point, no longer able to function safely or efficiently. These pipes, which had served their purpose for several decades, now required replacement to ensure the continuous supply of clean water to the area. The project was extensive, demanding a comprehensive approach to replace the outdated system.
In 2003, Vivaqua began a long-term project to improve the water system. Olivier Broers, who works with studies and investments at Vivaqua, understood from the beginning that this would be a very big job. The project was planned to take many years to complete.
There were times when the work had to stop, especially when parts of the work area needed to be closed. This was to allow for the installation and management of the new pipes. Officials mentioned that the goal of the project was to stop the water supply system from getting worse and to ensure that the area’s water infrastructure could meet future needs.
“When there was a lot of rain, for example, because then we ran the risk of flooding,”
Broers explains.
“The mosquito season was also always an obstacle. So it was a difficult site.”
