Flanders launches label to encourage water retention policies
Flanders is launching an initiative to highlight towns and municipalities that are better prepared for extreme weather. The so-called "spunge label", developed by sewer operator VLARIO and nature organisation Natuurpunt, aims to promote the adaptation of public space so that water can be retained more effectively.
In Flanders, 2024 was the wettest year on record, despite the region having relatively low water availability per inhabitant compared with other parts of Europe. According to VLARIO, this is largely due to the continued loss of rainwater.
"Too much soil is being sealed," said Wendy Francken of VLARIO. "Rainwater often ends up on concrete, asphalt and roofs, flows quickly into sewers and disappears before it can benefit nature." Currently, nearly 16 per cent of Flanders is paved. Over the past decade, an area equivalent to around 30,000 football pitches has been covered with hard surfaces.
Flemish spunges
To counter this trend, VLARIO and Natuurpunt are introducing the "spunge label", given to local authorities who demonstrate a structural commitment to de-paving and water-sensitive planning. This includes measures such as water infiltration, buffering and more efficient use of space. It also involves reducing paved surfaces such as squares and car parks, increasing permeable areas, reusing rainwater and creating space for wetland habitats.
According to the initiators, the label is intended to strengthen resilience and reduce risks. Retaining water locally can help limit flooding in basements and industrial buildings, while also mitigating heat in urban areas during warm periods. It can also ease pressure on drinking water resources. The first labels are expected to be awarded in 2027.
#FlandersNewsService | A rainwater retention basin in Berlin. PHOTO © John MACDOUGALL / AFP
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