About this site
Your Waterscape
What does Noorderzijlvest Water Authority do for our residents? And how do we ensure that our water remain clean and our feet stay dry in the future? As a resident of our region, we’d love to take you on a journey and share our story with words and images. By taking you on a tour of our region, we’ll show you our work in progress. And as we cycle and walk, we ask you to see the surroundings in a new light. Discover, experience, and immerse yourself in your own Waterscape!
The Netherlands and water are inextricably linked
Since the Middle Ages, we have been engaged in a battle against rising water levels.
- We used dykes and dyke passages, also known as coupures, to keep the water out.
- Waterways and windmills were used to drain excess water. Today, pumping stations have taken over the role of the windmills almost everywhere.
- But more is needed to keep our feet dry. Climate change is presenting us with additional challenges such as flooding. Or, conversely, drought.
- In addition, we also want to keep our water clean for our own health.
Noorderzijlvest
To ensure that people can live safely alongside water and that there is an adequate supply of clean water in every season, Noorderzijlvest Water Authority has installed many locks, weirs, pumping stations, coupures, and treatment plants in the region. Each has its own specific function and is a familiar feature of the landscape for many residents. On the Your Waterscape website, we help you see this area in a new light.