East Flanders (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – East Flanders has expanded its pumping ban to 47 locations amid water stress, targeting canals and waterways. Authorities assure no threat to drinking water supply.
Now that six more areas have surpassed the key level, the governor has made this decision. Carina Van Cauter emphasizes that “the drinking water supply is not in danger.”
The government declared last week that water may no longer be pumped from public canals and unnavigable streams at 41 locations in East Flanders, Belgium. Today, Governor Carina Van Cauter chose to add six more locations.
“In 6 extraction zones in Ghent, Laarne, Zwalm and Sint-Gillis-Waas, the critical threshold was undercut”,
it sounds.
The rain of the past few days has not led to a rise in the water levels. That is why I have decided to introduce a temporary extraction ban here as well.”
“Those affected by this withdrawal ban can still use sufficient other watercourses in the province of East Flanders to withdraw water from,”
says the governor.
The drinking water supply is not in danger, even though the water level has decreased in a few locations.
“The drinking water supplies still do not require measures to limit the consumption of tap water,”
says Van Cauter.
Of course it is always a good idea to be economical with tap water and avoid non-essential consumption.”
How does the extension of the pumping ban affect water safety in East Flanders?
The safety of the drinking water supply is unaffected by the expansion of the pumping prohibition in East Flanders to 47 areas; rather, it is a preventative measure meant to shield water bodies from additional degradation brought on by pollution and over-extraction.
Authorities have affirmed that residents’ drinking water supply is safe, even if the number of sites impacted by the ban has expanded.
This strategy fits in with Flanders’ larger water management plans, which deal with issues like droughts brought on by climate change, increased evaporation rates, and erratic precipitation patterns that impact the quantity and quality of water.
Water managers seek to protect groundwater levels, ecological balance, and chemical contamination by limiting pumping in susceptible locations. This ensures long-term water sustainability and safety.
