To maintain the water balance, we need to actively retain rainwater and allow it to infiltrate into the soil, preferably using source measures. Over time, however, the soil of an infiltration facility may silt up and infiltrate less or even not at all.

On our way to wadi 2.0

To address this issue, Antea Group is working in collaboration with the VLARIO consultation platform on an innovation project to gather knowledge on WADIs. This will allow us to investigate the actual infiltration of different types of infiltration facilities in different soils, both immediately after construction and over time.

The first two test sites in Brasschaat and Heist-op-den-Berg were equipped with pluviometers and sensors to measure water levels in the facility. These measurements were carried out for about 15 months. By the end of December 2021, the facilities were moved to two new sites in Ghent and Turnhout, where the results will continue to be monitored.

Innovation platform

At Antea Group, we are fully committed to research and development, guiding annual research projects using our innovation platform. This particular innovation project is an important step to test the theoretical approach to infiltration against practice, and to investigate whether vegetation can have a positive influence on infiltration.