This was Day of Science 2025
On November 23rd, VITO highlighted its water activities during the Science Day (Dag van de Wetenschap). Young and old visited VITO in Kortrijk and discovered various water challenges and how we address them. Around 600 enthusiasts immersed themselves in the wonderful world of water and learned how they can contribute, who could build the largest bridge, or how to make polluted water clean again.
Water is the new gold
Our visitors quickly understood our message: water is not only valuable but also vulnerable, and we cannot do without it. Of all the water present on our planet, only three percent is fresh water. And many of us are in line to use that fresh water: as humans and animals to drink, as industry for various processes, as farmers for crops, as a green planet for trees and plants, as watercourse managers for shipping. So, we took both young and old through our knowledge landscape, on the road to a water-resilient future.
What was there to discover?
Water Module VITOpolis
Using the water module of VITOpolis, we guided the visitors through several water challenges such as water security (availability and safety) and water quality.
We also presented several possible solutions, some of which originate from our projects and those of our partners. Smart Rainwater Tanks like in Regenplus, for example, or large buffer basins such as at Ardo. But also nature-based solutions, such as wetlands whose filtering action we investigate in Aquatuur.
The WaterAtlas
Through the WaterAtlas, you can discover the potential of alternative water sources such as rainwater and treated wastewater for agriculture, industry, and households. It is an interactive map viewer that provides a geographical overview of available alternative water sources.
Thus, farmers, industrial users, and site managers can identify opportunities for collaboration or water exchange.
Water Purification for Dummies
What could be more fun than playing with water? Playing with water while learning something of course. That's why we let our young visitors build their own water purification station. This way, they became acquainted with the basic principles of filter materials and learned that clear water is not necessarily the same as clean water.
We let them test out various filter materials such as pebbles, gravel, rice, and sand. From coarse to fine, just like the pollutants in our water.
A slightly simpler setup than what our water researchers work with ; )
Building Bridges
We had our visitors build, both literally and figuratively. Using a large stack of Kapla blocks, all sorts of constructions were created: large and small, bold and elegant, robust and slightly more fragile.
We also provided passers-by with figurative building blocks in the form of basic knowledge and random facts. Because everyone can contribute to building a water-resilient and robust future!
Grateful for your numerous presence. See you next year?
