Aqtirain

Aquafin manages more than 40 large rainwater storage tanks and collectors throughout Flanders (Belgium). In total, this represents more than 140,000 m³ of total storage capacity. As this infrastructure is currently managed statically, this volume is only used for short periods of time: the water is conveyed towards the receiving waters in the shortest possible time, complying with classic performance indicators such as flood risk and hydraulic stress in the receiving water.

With the Aqtirain project, Aquafin is investigating innovative control concepts to actively manage this existing infrastructure using short-term weather forecasts, IoT data communication and reliable control technology. The goal is to unlock new applications for the otherwise lost rainwater. Potential business cases include local re-use for irrigation in agriculture and recreation (such as sports fields), the reduction of heat-islands in urbanized areas and for industrial consumption.