Residents in part of Zeeland have water again thanks to four-year-old Sem from Oost-Souburg. The boy discovered a break in the water pipe from his bedroom. Engineers then repaired the leak. Water company Evides is “very proud of Sem” and is “glad that he discovered the problem”. The boy has even been put in the spotlight by the mayor.
The problem with the water supply started late Sunday evening. Residents of Vlissingen, Oost-Souburg, Koudekerke and Nieuwdorp suddenly no longer received water from the tap.
As of Monday morning, the problem was still not resolved. Evides technicians were unable to determine the cause. The water company and the Zeeland safety region asked local residents to help find the leak. An NL-Alert was also sent to people in the area.
The police even deployed a helicopter to search for the water mains breach from the air. Shem stood in his bedroom at a lower height. He saw how the normally babbling brook behind his house had turned into a fast-flowing river. Then all the puzzle pieces fell into place.
Thanks to the toddler’s keen eye, Evides technicians were soon able to find the leak. A water pipe running under the ditch was found to be broken. Because the fracture was in a difficult to reach place, mechanics were busy for a long time to close the leak. By 4 p.m., all households had water again.
Between 5 pm and 8 pm, Evides keeps an extra eye on the water pressure. During those three hours, people always use the most water in a day. “If we got through that spike, we’re sure it’s fixed.”
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