West Flanders opens first smart water point to protect water quality

Farmers and contractors in Beernem, Belgium, can now access a renovated water point to fill spraying equipment.

This site is the first of 17 points in West-Vlaanderen to meet the Flemish Code of Good Practice, which authorities approved earlier this year. The renovation prevents chemical substances from agricultural machinery from contaminating the water source, which is supplied by the Ghent-Bruges canal.

Bart Naeyaert, a provincial deputy, stated that the site is restricted to filling spray tanks in limited amounts and cannot be used for irrigation or rinsing equipment. Users must now identify themselves using a QR code and a mobile application to open the pump valves. Tom Van Nieuwenhove, an advisor at Inagro, said the app allows the organization to monitor water levels and receive reports on equipment defects. The province invested 100,000 euros into this online platform.

The province plans to open four more points this year and at least 12 more in the coming years. To encourage local governments to create more safe water points, the province approved a subsidy rule in September. This rule allows the province to cover half of the costs for new or renovated points, up to a maximum of 25,000 euros.