Firm to store millions of litres of drinking water underground to prepare for droughts

Belgian water company De Watergroep plans to store millions of litres of drinking water underground, anticipating future drier summers.

The company previously attempted underground water storage at a site in Diksmuide, West Flanders. However, the project was not successful. A new feasibility study has been initiated in Oudenaarde and Aalst. The plan is to store hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of drinking water about 100 m below the surface.

The water would be injected in winter and then pumped back up in summer. “It’s a reserve for the summer,” says De Watergroep general manager Hans Goossens.

In Aalst, a site with a capacity of 150,000 to 200,000 cubic metres of drinking water could offer a reserve of 150 to 200 million litres. This could potentially meet the needs of 10,000 to 15,000 households during a drought period.

This approach could diversify Flanders’ water supply, as half of its drinking water is currently sourced from the Albert Canal.

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