2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

BELGIUM PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Urban Services
% Water 98%
% Sewerage 71%
% Sewage treated 45%
Developing the sewerage network
There were 292 sewage treatment works in 1988, of which 13 served cities with a population in
excess of 100,000. Some 4% of the population of Belgium had their sewage treated in 1970. This
rose to 23% by 1980. As noted in the company entry for Aquafin (sewerage and sewage services for
Flanders), the limited extent of the sewerage network is currently constraining the effectiveness of the
sewage treatment infrastructure.
Sewerage and sewage treatment in 1999
Sewerage Treatment
Walloon 60% 38%
Flanders 78% 52%
Brussels 85% 0%
Since 2001, the entire Walloon region has been classified as a sensitive area under the EU’s
UWWTD, meaning that all wastewater treatment works with a PE of above 10,000 will have to provide
tertiary treatment. By 2003, the region had 127 wastewater treatment plants in operation.
Sewerage and sewage treatment in 2003
Sewerage Treatment
Walloon 60% 50%
Flanders 86% 60%
Brussels 90% 33%
According to the government, the main challenge faced by the Flanders Region is maintaining its
investment plans in the face of planning delays. This means that the region is unlikely to achieve
universal sewerage coverage by 2015 at the earliest. It is estimated that 80% wastewater treatment
is expected to be reached by 2007.
Sewerage and sewage treatment by 2005 (planned)
Sewerage Treatment
Walloon 80% 80%
Flanders 86% 60%
Brussels 90% 33%
In the Brussels region, the stormwater and domestic sewerage systems need to be separated. The
cost implications are driving the need for private sector involvement for the city’s third sewage
treatment plant. Universal wastewater treatment will be achieved for Brussels by 2006-07, but the
rest of the country is set to fail to meet the EU UWWTD’s by several decades.
The costs of compliance
Regional water budgets 2000 (€million)
Region Area Period Cost
Brussels Water opex & capex 10 years 618
Flanders Drinking water Annual 620
Flanders Sewerage Annual 248
Walloon Wastewater 2000-04 790
Charges in the Brussels region cover 30% of costs against 70% in Flanders and Wallonia.
Freshwater
Total (1998, km 3 ) 8.4
Per capita (1998, m 3 ) 822
Withdrawals (1980, km 3 ) 9.0
For domestic use (1987) 11%
61 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006