๐๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฝ’๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐, ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ, ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฒ?
While the global tunnelling community focuses on Antwerp’s major megaprojects, a quieter but equally fascinating project is taking shape in one of the city’s residential districts. It is exactly the kind of work that rarely makes headlines but makes a real difference to the people who live there.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ
The project is a joint initiative between water-link, Aquafin and the District of Antwerp, and at its core is the replacement of old brick sewers with a modern separated system that keeps wastewater and rainwater apart. In a city increasingly affected by heavy rainfall and urban flooding, this kind of investment is not a luxury but a necessity.
The new pipes have a diameter of 2 metres, and laying them via open trenches would have meant breaking open a major arterial road and digging to exceptional depths in a dense urban environment. The solution is pipe jacking, where a 2.4-metre drill head โElzaโ presses the pipes through the ground with minimal disruption to the surface. The execution of this technically challenging operation is carried out by Smet Group (Smet Tunnelling).
๐๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐
Above ground, the project goes well beyond replacing underground infrastructure. Mature trees are being carefully transplanted rather than felled, school entrances are being redesigned for better safety, and cycling infrastructure and seating are being added throughout the neighbourhood. Engineering firm Sweco is responsible for the overall design, with a strong focus on climate resilience and liveability.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ณ
Projects like this are a perfect illustration of the congress theme for ITA World Tunnel Congress 2027 in Antwerp: Underground Creativity to Meet Societal Needs. This is not a prestige megaproject. It is a neighbourhood-scale intervention that uses smart underground engineering to solve real problems, reduce flooding, improve safety and make a district more liveable for the people who call it home.
Photo credit: Smet Group
See more photos of the site: Open Wervendag 2026 | Laat je verwonderen door de bouw en ontdek de verhalen achter de werven
