Retired City Planner
According to Jan Frans de Hartog, water cannot be destroyed. No expensive housing can be easily built on top of the water, so making a lake in the middle of a city will lead to inhabitants always seeing the horizon above the lake. A story of building Almere Haven from one of the city’s founding fathers. A memory of young people with little experience but lots of enthusiasm, discovering that the polder’s emptiness is a paradise for city planning.
Barge Skipper
In this insightful interview, Tido, a water worker and skipper in Amsterdam shares his experiences in maintaining and cleaning the city’s iconic canals. He discusses the significance of the canals in protecting the city from flooding and talks about the various debris they encounter, including plastic, tires, and even cars. Tido emphasises the importance of their work in keeping the canals safe and navigable. The interview also touches on childhood memories, dreams, and legends related to water. Tido’s story offers a unique perspective on the hidden but crucial role of water workers in preserving the beauty and functionality of Amsterdam’s waterways.
Spokesperson
How to communicate water? An inteview with Jessica Winkelhorst, a spokesperson of Vitens.
Water sample: tap water.
Sewage Treatment Operator
Jacqueline Hek is a water treatment operator, she manages the sewage treatment plant on Terschelling. Jacqueline takes us through the process of purifying sewage water into water that is clean enough to enter the sea. She talks about her finds in the sewage treatment plant, what has she learned about humanity? Water sample: sewage samples before treatment.
Process Operator
Hessel Rozenga has a lot of power on Terschelling. He is responsible for all drinking water on the island. From checking the drinking water installation and the pipe from the mainland to Terschelling, to repairs at people’s homes. Hessel explains how water is purified into drinking water. He himself does not drink purified water, but directly from the ground. So why do people still want purified water? And could we also purify sewage water into drinking water?
Water sample: tap water Tool: plumbing fitting.
Salt Agriculture and Chef
Flang Cupido is a pioneer in saline agriculture on Terschelling. As the groundwater becomes saltier, normal agriculture can produce less and less good food. Saline agriculture is a solution. The Zilte Smaak is a practical case of how you can grow fruit and vegetables in soil that is becoming saltier. It’s also still very tasty. To compensate for the salty soil, fruit becomes much sweeter. What are the things we will eat in a saltier future?
Water sample: 2/3 salt and 1/3 sweet sourcewater
Field Worker
Jan van der Bij is a forester at the Staatsbosbheer on West-Terschelling. He tells everything about the management of waterways, the recently completed water splendor project and what exactly seepage water is. Water sample: seepage water.
Trainee
Joke recently completed a thesis looking at the impacts of salinization on the farming culture of Terschelling. Jokes research paid particular attention to the farmers themselves and their affinities. We spoke about her findings and her current work as a trainee with the Dutch Water authorities. Water sample: tapwater from Noordwij Tool: a deck of sustainability cards.
Infrastructure Engineer
With Ward we spoke about the flow of water, electricity and internet in large scale festival set-up. Water sample: festival toilet flushing water Tool: Plumbing coupler.
Cattle Farmer
We interviewed Gerard at our pop up radio station in Hoorn forest.
We spoke about how much water a cow drinks on a hot day, about intergenerational labour on the farm and Gerard’s progress in saline agriculture. Water sample: ground water from the farm Tool: trench shovel.
Swimming Pool Supervisor
Simone Verlaan came to Terschelling to study at the Willem Barentz Maritime Institute in order to sail the sea. In addition to her studies, she became a lifeguard at Terschelling’s swimming pool. She tells about a pool that is never emptied, but that is cleaned 24/7 and about the taste of drinking water on West Terschelling.
Water sample: Swimming pool water from the pipe for testing water
Tool: Thermometer
District and Dijk Manager
Rayon manager and dike keeper Albert Kiers, works for Wetterskp Fryslân. He tells us about the inner and outer dike area on Terschelling. The island is slightly tilted: part is above sea level and part is below. Kiers is constantly looking for the right water level for the whole area. A broadcast with a map, a salt meter and meticulous notes in an oldfashioned noteboook.
Rayonbeheerder en dijkwachter Albert Kiers, werkzaam voor Wetterskp Fryslân vertelt over het binnen- en buitendijks gebied op Terschelling. Het eiland ligt een beetje gekanteld: een deel ligt boven NAP en een deel eronder. Kiers zoekt voortdurend naar de juiste waterstand voor het hele gebied. Een uitzending met een kaart, zoutmeter en een succesagenda.
Water sample: ground water
Tool: conductivity meter
Forest Ranger
In daily life, forester Joeri Lamers informs residents of Terschelling about the work the Forestry Commission does to protect nature. In our studio he tells us about the origins of the Hoorn forest and the connection between dunes and fresh water.
Water sample: ground water from the forest
Tool: binoculars