Countless cellars are flooding in the ‘renewed’ Sint-Pieterskerklaan: “Groundwater has nowhere to go” (Bruges)

The Sint-Pieterskerklaan in Bruges has been thoroughly renovated since the end of September last year. The street is being completely redesigned, although this is now causing a lot of pain for local residents. Due to the heavy rainfall in recent days, many cellars are flooded, because the groundwater can no longer flow due to the new sewers. “Even people who have lived here for twenty years have never experienced this,” sighs local resident DC

Work on Sint-Pieterskerklaan started at the end of September last year. The street will receive a major metamorphosis and will be completely redesigned. The work is being carried out in phases to minimize disruption as much as possible.

READ ALSO. Work started in Sint-Pieterskerklaan: “Road narrowings and a bicycle passage must keep everything safe”

The second phase has now been completed, although many local residents are left with a sour feeling. Many cellars have been flooded for days. “In the area where the work has now been completed, the groundwater can no longer flow,” sighs local resident DC. Every morning and evening, the local resident pumps away the water themselves, although they cannot get rid of all the water..

Ask around the neighborhood

The work therefore causes a lot of inconvenience, because quite a few cellars in Sint-Pietersstraat are flooded. It is – literally – mopping with the tap open. “On Thursday evening I went to take a look in the basement and everything was still okay,” says DC. “On Friday morning I saw that everything was flooded.” (Read more below the photo)

And DC is far from the only one, because almost every cellar in Sint-Pieterskerklaan has it. “I immediately asked around the street and almost every house with a basement now has problems. Even people who have lived here for twenty years have never experienced this.”

Solution

Due to the persistent rain recently, many cellars are now flooded. “And the weather forecast for the coming days doesn’t look very cheerful either.” There was a lot of stuff in the DC basement. “Luckily I was home on Friday to move everything to the attic. Fortunately, the electrical equipment is at a height, but still.” (read more below the video)

Almost every cellar in Sint-Pieterskerklaan has it. — © CCA

DC hopes that a solution will be found soon. “For the time being, we are not hearing from anyone,” says the resident. “I understand that the groundwater can be high due to heavy rainfall, but this has never been a problem in the past. Since those works, the water simply cannot escape anymore.”