River Cleanup Completes Its Mission along the Ourthe
Esneux, July 9, 2024 – In July 2021, exceptional rainfall caused the Vesder and Ourthe rivers to overflow. The resulting floods caused unprecedented destruction, leaving both people and nature distressed. River Cleanup volunteers immediately sprang into action to address the aftermath. After three years and 240 cleanup efforts, the job is finally complete. The final clean-up of the Ourthe is set for July 13, 2024, marking three years since the disaster.
The images of the floods remain vivid in everyone's memory. Raging waters swept away entire belongings, forcing people to seek refuge on their roofs. On that summer day, several volunteers from the Belgian non-profit organization River Cleanup watched the news in shock before promptly jumping into their cars to help. "The devastation was total, unprecedented," says Hanne Collette, Floods Project Coordinator at River Cleanup.
Fortunately, the solidarity was immense. In the months following the disaster, buses filled with hundreds of volunteers left Flanders two to three times a week. Various organizations and companies provided support, including PWC, AXA, DHL, Telenet, Peddelsport Vlaanderen, and Arktos. On-site assistance also came from Contrat de Rivière Vesdre, Contrat de Rivière Ourthe, and Bewapp, with even the Walloon Minister for the Environment, Tellier, joining the efforts.
Three years of herculean effort followed. River warriors cleared mud from houses and untangled waste from bushes. They retrieved car tires, refrigerators, and thousands of butter dishes, along with large chunks of butter from a nearby dairy factory from the rivers. They used canoes and waders to reach difficult areas. They even rescued an exhausted young beaver, taking it to an animal shelter.
Emotional Cleanups
"The whole street was shoveling mud in a woman's house with no family. The past few years have been a magnified version of that day. Little by little, we cleaned up the bed and banks of the Vesder and Ourthe, giving nature a fair chance again," recalls Hanne Collette.
The clean-up work was often emotional. Discoveries such as wedding photos, toys, and a personalized wheelchair painfully illustrated the residents' losses. Hanne recounted cleaning the home of a piano teacher whose piano and music scores were destroyed. Initially focused on helping victims, River Cleanup was the first to tackle the rivers themselves, clearing approximately 500 kilometers of riverbank. "Our actions prove that nothing is impossible," says Hanne.
"The rivers form the arteries of the planet. They are essential for both people and nature. The 2021 floods were exceptional in timing – in the midst of summer – and force. This disaster highlighted our ecosystem's fragility and resilience. River Cleanup is committed to protecting and restoring our rivers, ensuring they remain a source of life and well-being for generations to come," says Bernard De Wetter, River Lead Ourthe at River Cleanup and resident of Pepinster.
B-FAST for Rivers
Global warming is making floods more frequent. Recent events in Switzerland and Italy underscore this trend. Extreme drought hardens the ground, hindering water absorption. Heavy rains result in more runoff into drains and rivers, which then overflow, carrying away debris and harmful substances. The 2021 floods set the Vesder's water quality back by 30 years.
"We are working on establishing a B-FAST or River Response Unit to remove blockages at bridges and prevent further damage quickly. Removing debris promptly helps victims move on and rebuild their lives. Companies, volunteers, and donors can register via floods@river-cleanup.org," says Thomas de Groote, founder of River Cleanup.
Three Years of Cleanup Operations in Numbers
- 240 clean-ups
- 500 km of riverbank cleared
- 300,000 kg of waste removed
- 7,500 participants
