Bellingen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A KWZI is planned in Kareelstraat, Bellingen, by Aquafin to treat wastewater. Locals protested due to environmental fears. After permit denial, revised plans got approval with stricter rules.
As VRT News reported, the plan to build a small water cleaning plant (KWZI) in Kareelstraat, near the village of Bellingen, in the municipality of Pepingen in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, has been a problem for the local government for a long time. Although most people agree that the area needs better wastewater treatment, the specific location of the plant and its possible effects on the environment and the community have caused a lot of disagreement.
The issue became well-known about 5 years ago when a news program showed that about 85% of Pepingen’s wastewater was being released into local streams and canals without being treated. Officials mentioned that the long-standing lack of modern sewage systems in the area and led to calls for immediate action to meet water quality standards set by both Flemish and European authorities.
What led to the permit dispute over Aquafin’s KWZI in Bellingen?
According to the officials, the plan for a water plant (KWZI) in Kareelstraat is for a small area without a main sewer. It’s meant to clean water in the countryside. But people don’t like it. They worry about smells, noise, and traffic. They also worry their homes and farms will be worth less. Even with complaints, the project might still happen.
The local government in Pepingen decided they needed to improve how they cleaned their water. They started working with Aquafin, a company that handles wastewater treatment in Flanders. Together, they built a small water cleaning plant (KWZI) in Mortagnestraat, Heikruis. Aquafin planned to build a 2nd KWZI in Kareelstraat, Bellingen. However, the people who lived there were against it. They were worried about what it would do to the environment, especially the risk of flooding and potential damage to the nearby farmland.
In February 2025, just one month before they were supposed to start building, the Council for Permit Disputes agreed with the neighbourhood and cancelled the building permit. The council said Aquafin didn’t explain well enough why they needed the Kareelstraat location and didn’t properly assess the dangers of flooding.
After the first permit was denied, Aquafin made changes to its plan and reapplied. The Flemish Department of Environment checked the new plan and agreed that the problems had been fixed. They gave Aquafin a new permit, but with rules to protect the environment. These rules included extra care for the farmland during construction and measures to stop soil pollution. They mentioned that Aquafin also had to add flood prevention to their design.
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