Waterrijk Waterschei
The Stiemerbeek brook in the region of Genk suffers from many overflows, causing issues of water quality. To solve this problem, water must be extracted maximally from the sewer system and retained on site. In the Waterschei district itself, this urgency is less tangible. That is why the Waterrijk Waterschei project focuses on the added value that this can nevertheless generate (individually and collectively). A first achievement is the desealing of a formerly unused basketball court. The removed concrete clinkers were used to build a vegetable garden, picking garden, flower meadow, pergola and water collection basin as well as a place to sit at a long, shared table. Besides mobilizing projects in the public space, Waterrijk Waterschei will also help private citizens to better protect their gardens against too little or too much water by installing a water tank, desealing, creating water gutters or developing a planting strategy. The approach of Waterland, Breekijzer vzw, UHasselt and CONSTRUCTLAB links a systemic challenge to the concerns and wishes of the locals.
Waterland, Breekijzer, Hasselt University, Constructlab, City of Genk
community, water, management
local development?, good citizenship, participation
site
waterlandvzw.be