Namur Water Crisis: Municipalities Deprived of Water
Water Disruptions Affect Multiple Belgian Municipalities Following Pipeline Rupture
Residents in several Walloon municipalities are facing water shortages following a notable pipeline rupture. As of Friday evening, the communities of la Bruyère, Gembloux, Eghezée, Chastre, and Walhain were directly impacted, with some areas experiencing a complete loss of water supply.
Specifically,the entire commune of La Bruyère was without water,along with the villages of Grand-Leez and Ernage within Gembloux.Liernu and Aische-en-Refail, both in Eghezée, also reported outages.Partial disruptions were also noted in certain areas of Chastre and Perbais, located in Walhain. the Walloon water Company confirmed that the affected pipeline serves as a primary water source for these municipalities.
The Service Wallon des Déchets et du Nettoyage (SWDE) - the Walloon Waste and Cleanliness Service – has implemented temporary solutions to mitigate the impact, but these measures haven’t fully compensated for the loss of supply. Consequently,some villages have seen water distribution partially restored,though often at reduced pressure. Others remain without service.
“Distributions of bottled water are being set up in these entities,” a spokesperson for the Walloon Water Company stated.
Teams from Vivaqua are working to repair the damaged pipeline and restore full water service. Officials are optimistic that normal water distribution will resume by Saturday morning, according to the SWDE. Residents are encouraged to conserve water where possible and monitor local updates for the latest facts.
This situation highlights the critical importance of maintaining robust water infrastructure and having contingency plans in place for unexpected disruptions.