Waterways cleaner than 15 years ago

The agency, which has been measuring nitrate levels in the region’s groundwater since 1999, said in its report that the nitrate concentration had dropped dramatically in many places. In 1999, the nitrate level was above the legal limit in 60% of locations where it carried out tests; the figure now is 21%.

The level has dropped over the past 15 years due to information campaigns and official inspections that have persuaded farmers to cut down the amount of nitrates they use in fertilisers, the report said.

But the authors added that the level of nitrates in local waterways was still frequently well above the European norm of 16%. The report also showed that some rivers are more polluted than others. The rivers Nete and Demer (pictured) were very clean, whereas the Ijzer and the Leie in West Flanders were polluted due to intensive pig farming in the region.

Photo courtesy Paul Hermans/Wikimedia Commons