€2M Water Plant to Clean the IJse River in Hoeilaart

Hoeilaart (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A €2 million water cleaning plant near Koningsvijver 5 in Hoeilaart will open by 2026. Patrick Huvenne says it will protect the IJse River and the Sonian Forest.

As VRT News reported, a new water cleaning system will be built at the ponds in Groenendaal in Hoeilaart, a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium. The Agency for Nature and Forests is doing this because the water in the IJse River is very dirty where it begins. 

The river starts in the Sonian Forest and flows through Hoeilaart, Overijse, and Huldenberg. It joins the Dijle River later in a nature area called Doode Bemde. Many people care about the river because it is part of a green area with many plants and animals. 

Officials mentioned that tests showed that the water near Groenendaal is not clean. Dirty water from them goes into the ponds. The new system will clean the water before it flows into the river. 

What will a €2M water plant do for the IJse river in Hoeilaart?

Patrick Huvenne from the Agency for Nature and Forests is worried about the dirty water in the ponds at Groenendaal and the start of the IJse River. He says that rainwater from the nearby Brussels Ring Road carries harmful things like salt, oil, and rubber pieces from cars. This dirty water flows into the ponds and sometimes turns the water black. He says the problem is serious. 

The dirty water harms the river right from the start. To fix this, the agency wants to stop the problem where it begins. They plan to build a water cleaning system that will remove the dirt from the water before it reaches the river. 

A water cleaning plant will be built near Koningsvijver 5, close to where dirty rainwater flows into the ponds. The rainwater will move through a 170-meter pipe under the ground to the plant. There, it will be cleaned before it goes into the IJse River. The water will be added slowly and safely. 

The project will cost about €2 million and should be done in 2026. It will protect the Sonian Forest and the Doode Bemde reserve. The Agency says this is a big step to fix old water problems.

Eurotoday is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.


Comments

7 responses to “€2M Water Plant to Clean the IJse River in Hoeilaart”

  1. silver agent Avatar
    silver agent

    A €2M water plant? Oh, splendid! Just what we need—because who wouldn’t want to pay a fortune to clean up what’s basically nature’s version of a dumpster fire? 💧💸

  2. Drugstore Cowboy Avatar
    Drugstore Cowboy

    €2M for a water plant, eh? Must be nice to have that kind of cash to clean up the mess we all just assumed was “natural” in the first place. 😏💦

  3. White Snare Avatar
    White Snare

    A €2M water plant to clean up the IJse River? Brilliant! Just what we need – more expensive gadgets to do what nature was supposed to manage, because who needs pristine rivers when you can have state-of-the-art pipes instead! 💧💶

  4. Wolf Tribune Avatar
    Wolf Tribune

    A €2M water plant for a river that’s about as clean as a Brussels bistro after a Friday night? Brilliant! Can’t wait to see how much more murky charm they’ll bring to the IJse by 2026. 🍻💦

  5. Fire Queen Avatar
    Fire Queen

    A €2M water plant, eh? Just what we needed—more bureaucracy to clean up the mess the Brussels Ring Road made. I suppose it’s cheaper than a round of beers at the pub, but only just! 🍻

  6. New York Winder Avatar
    New York Winder

    €2M for a water plant, eh? Finally, a way to make the IJse River sparkle like a fine Belgian beer after all these years of it looking like the aftermath of a dodgy frites stand! 🍟💧

  7. Arsenic Coo Avatar
    Arsenic Coo

    A €2M water plant to clean the IJse River? Well, that’s one way to spend our cash – why not just throw a few euros at a couple of well-placed fairy godmothers and call it a day? 💸🌊

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