As part of 'Water Samples', a large-scale survey involving local people, 72 water quality measurements were conducted in Brussels. Despite the urban environment, the water in the Brussels Canal turned out to be very clean in several places. ‘In some places you could swim,’ says Lieven Symons, coordinator of the charity Waterland vzw.
Water quality in Brussels Canal surprisingly good: 'Swimming is conceivable'
Colin Clapson
Published:
The researchers' focus was on the presence of E. coli, a bacterium that enters our rivers via household wastewater and says a lot about the state of our sewage system. It also often betrays other types of water pollution including the presence of drug residues. The Flemish Environment Agency also sees E. coli as an important criterion to determine bathing water quality.
During the survey period from 24 April to 6 May, a total of more than 5,000 ‘citizen researchers’ visited a canal, river, ditch or brook to make a measurement. The survey was commissioned by Waterland vzw, daily De Standaard and KU Leuven (Leuven University).
Results were good
In Brussels, 72 measurements were taken. In the Brussels Canal near Thurn & Taxis, for instance, 5 measurements were conducted, 4 of them with excellent results. That means the water proved suitable for swimming at those times.
In Flanders and Brussels, the results were predominantly positive. Overall, 43.3 per cent of watercourses are clean enough to swim in. Especially the larger watercourses in urban areas scored surprisingly well, offering great potential for outdoor swimming.
A welcome alternative
According to Symons, the Brussels Canal would lend itself perfectly to temporary swimming days, as organised by Waterland in several Flemish cities last summer. During the Zalige Zwemdagen or “Wonderful Swimming Days”, some 6,000 people dived into rivers and canals in Antwerp, Bruges, Kortrijk and Turnhout.
Now that the City of Brussels has called off its recent swimming pool project, Symons points to simple and accessible alternatives to still be able to swim outdoors, without the need for a traditional swimming pool. ‘For open-air swimming, you don't need a multi-million-dollar project,’ he stresses.