Students from group 5 of primary school De Groote Wielen unveiled a public groundwater meter on Monday, October 6, 2025, on Dorpsstraat in Rosmalen. They did this together with alderman Ralph Geers of the municipality of s-Hertogenbosch, daily board member Sikko Oegema of the water board Aa and Maas, and deputy Saskia Boelema of the province of North Brabant. This groundwater meter in the area of water board Aa and Maas shows the status of the invisible water beneath your feet.
Awareness of Groundwater
The public groundwater meter shows whether the groundwater level is higher, normal, or lower than average for the time of year. “This is how we want to make residents aware that the presence of water is not always so self-evident,” says deputy Saskia Boelema. Groundwater levels are too low, and North Brabant is drying out more and more. Due to climate change, there are longer periods of drought, causing the soil to dry out further. “We need every Brabander to combat the drying out of Brabant by retaining more rainwater and using less groundwater.”
Taking Good Care of Water
Prior to the unveiling of the public groundwater meter, the three present administrators explained the importance of groundwater and what the municipality, the water board, and the province are doing to combat drying out. Afterwards, the public groundwater meter was unveiled, and its operation was explained using a miniature.
After the unveiling, there was a fun and educational program for the students. They enthusiastically engaged in various water experiments. “The students are very eager to learn and enthusiastic,” says daily board member Sikko Oegema of water board Aa and Maas. “It is so important that this generation learns to take care of water well, because what is learned young is done old. But everyone can help. For example, if you have a garden, you can easily let rainwater soak into the ground by disconnecting your downspout or replacing tiles with greenery.”
Water Experiments
The students also found it a fun morning. Student Guus learned today that there is water underground: “I didn’t know that. And water cannot soak into the ground if it is solid, like on a sidewalk. But it can soak into the ground if there is grass.”
Natuurcentrum Het Groene Pad from Rosmalen, which provides water lessons to primary schools in the municipality of s-Hertogenbosch throughout the year, organized the program for the students together with the water board Aa and Maas and the province of North Brabant.
Groundwater Level Meters in Brabant
In collaboration with the Brabant water boards, the province of North Brabant is placing several groundwater meters throughout the province. Curious where they are located in Brabant? View the locations on the map (links to another website). Or read more about public groundwater meters here.
