Maatregelen

The measures in the “Management and maintenance” cluster are focused on the management and maintenance of the water system. They involve, for example, mowing management regimes, dredging management regimes and weed control.

• Dredging watercourses: the layer of mud on the bottom of ditches, canals and lakes is regularly removed for various reasons, for example, to give the water more room;
• Keeping off birds and/or implementing a feeding ban;
• Environmentally friendly weed control;
• Removal of waste near trash screens, culverts or weirs;
• Removal of leaves on river banks;
• Clearing away blue-green algae;
• Flushing the water after sewer overflows;
• Removal of duckweed from the water;
• Intensive water plant management;
• Removal of leaves from the water.

The measures in the “Water chain” cluster address the actual water chain and involve, e.g., adjustments to the sewer system or changes in flushing regimes.

• Creating a bioswale or soil passage to disconnect paved surfaces from the sewer system. Bioswales are primarily intended to slowly drain water into the soil, whereas soil passages are mainly intended to filter the water;
• Installing a storage settling basin or filters at sewer overflows, to prevent dirt ending up in surface water;
• Detecting faulty sewer connections.

The measures in the “Hydrological functioning” cluster improve water behaviour and characteristics, for example, by allowing free flow or enabling the intake of clean water.

• Modifying intake regimes: adapting the frequency or rate of water intake from another watercourse;
• Taking in water from another source;
• Removing phosphates from inlet water;
• Relocating inlets to freshwater locations;
• Expanding a culvert to optimise the connection between two watercourses;
• Raising or lowering a culvert to optimise the connection between two watercourses;
• Connecting bodies of water, for example, by constructing a culvert;
• Restoring seepage effect (fresh water): restoring freshwater seepage from the soil.

The measures in the “Structure” cluster adapt the water system profile. For example, a water system can be rendered deeper or shallower. Another example is interconnecting multiple bodies of water.

• Getting rid of dog walking locations;
• Creating a buffer zone between a road and a watercourse;
• Providing collection points for emptying marine toilets;
• Making water deeper;
• Making water shallower;
• Planting hedges on river banks;
• Planting trees on river banks;
• Fostering water circulation;
• Granting or revoking permits for cold water discharge and/or warm water collection;
• Installing a fountain or bubble screen to aerate the water, in order to boost its oxygen content.

Issues resulting from deteriorating water quality cannot always be prevented. In such cases, clear communication with water consumers is helpful. Another measure could be accepting that a particular use will not always be possible.

• Communication on hygiene regulations;
• Communication on health risks of swimming and other water leisure activities;
• Acceptance of issues such as stench or fish mortality;
• Acceptance of changing ecological quality.

The water quality may have deteriorated to such an extent as to preclude certain functions. In such cases, measures could be considered to switch to alternative functions.

• Harvesting duckweed: a new method of producing protein;
• Farmers in salinised areas may switch to saline crops, which are irrigated with saline water in addition to freshwater.