Students at RSG De Borgen come up with the best idea for sustainable water management in Groningen
Over the past few weeks, around 400 students from Technasium schools in Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe worked on a plan to use domestic water in a more sustainable and circular way. Today, the winning groups from each school competed for the provincial prize by presenting their ideas to a jury of administrators and policymakers at Wildlands Adventure Zoo in Emmen. Students from RSG De Borgen won the prize for the best idea for sustainable water management in Groningen with their idea for an underground filter for shower water. The winning group had invented a system in which shower water runs through a natural filter and is stored in an underground reservoir for reuse. The fact that this solution is easily scalable, well thought out, and climate-adaptive was the deciding factor.
Showering, cleaning, flushing the toilet, watering the garden: we use a lot of water in and around our homes. Like other raw materials, water is becoming increasingly scarce and we need to think about how we use it now and in the future. Local and national governments are doing this, but it is also important to think about what you can do yourself. That is why students from the four northern water boards and the three provinces were given the assignment to think about the (re)use of domestic water.
Filtering and reusing shower water
Over the past few weeks, the young people conducted extensive research into the water chain and water use in and around the home. They then had to use their technical skills to design a product and conduct research into consumer behavior, because part of the assignment was to develop a campaign to raise awareness of their plan for circular water use. It was no easy task, but the young people rose to the challenge! The jury, which included Roeland van der Schaaf, dike reeve of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority, and Melissa van Hoorn, deputy of the province of Groningen, was impressed by all the creativity. "Events like this give young people a voice in the climate solutions of the future. And today showed once again how creative young people are; all the designs and campaigns challenge us to use domestic water differently. They are all winners!" said Melissa van Hoorn.
Young people can make an impact
The clients believe it is important for young people to realize that they themselves can make an impact. Roeland van der Schaaf adds: “I enjoy thinking about the future with young people, because it is their future that is at stake. Water has always been taken for granted in our country, which means we have not always appreciated its value. I want to see a climate-adaptive world as an opportunity. That is why the value of water is an interesting topic for young people."
You can find everything about 'Learning about water' atwww.noorderzijlvest.nl/leren-over-water