Safe Clean Sufficient water: our job!

Many people know the water authorities for their dikes. But we do more than that. In addition to maintaining and reinforcing dikes, we also ensure clean water and sufficient water. We purify wastewater, ensure that plants and animals can thrive in the water, and maintain water levels.

Working on safe dikes

We carefully monitor the dikes and dunes and reinforce them when necessary. For example, we are currently reinforcing the Markermeer dikes between Hoorn and Amsterdam. Not only will they be stronger, but the surrounding area will also be more attractive. A large city beach was recently completed in Hoorn. Walking and cycling paths have been laid out and space has been created for nature development. All in all, it is a major operation with one key objective: to keep our residents' feet dry!

Watch the video below in which the Captain of the Markermeer discovers why and how the Markermeer dikes are being reinforced:

Purification of sewage water

In the past, surface water was an open sewer. This caused many diseases. Thanks to our sewage treatment plants, surface water has become much cleaner. So you can enjoy it to the fullest!

The dirty water from residents, businesses, and the streets (after rainfall) enters the sewer system via toilets, drains, and sewer manholes. Thirty sewage pumping stations pump this water to our 15 wastewater treatment plants. There, we clean the water using bacteria. The cleaner water then flows back into the ditch.

A stable water level in the ditch

Without our pumping stations, the many ditches would flood in no time when it rains. We maintain the water level in those same ditches during droughts with water from the Markermeer and IJsselmeer lakes. A stable water level in ditches and canals is important for the safety of our (peat) dikes, for nature, farmers, shipping, and for the foundations of houses. We ensure this with the help of locks, weirs, pumping stations, and pumps.

Take a look inside the De Helsdeur pumping station:

A healthy ditch

To ensure healthy water in ditches, canals, and lakes, we construct nature-friendly banks, modify pumping stations so that fish can pass safely, and dredge regularly.

If space allows, we leave more vegetation along the banks. We check that residents and businesses are not polluting surface water unnecessarily. And if they are, we take action.

Our colleague Sandra shows you an environmentally friendly riverbank:

Monitoring the quality of bathing water

In our area, we monitor the water quality of the official swimming locations.
 

We mainly look at bacteria and blue-green algae. In North Holland, there are several official swimming spots where you can enjoy swimming outdoors. Would you like to know whether the water at these swimming locations is safe and clean? Then visit zwemwater.nl or install the Zwemwater app.