More than just a water safety issue 

The risk of flooding and water shortage in the northern provinces is increasing as the climate changes faster. So too in the Groningen fishing village of Zoutkamp. Water board Noorderzijlvest is taking a special approach and approached the project without a concrete plan. Not only were all residents, stakeholders, the municipality of Het Hogeland and the province of Groningen involved, but the market was also challenged to work together to increase water safety while giving an impulse to the quality of life, traffic safety and tourism in Zoutkamp and the surrounding area.

As a result of the 'Droge Voeten 2050' study, Noorderzijlvest Water Board had a task in Zoutkamp to increase the capacity of the pumping station to 1,600 m3 per minute and to reinforce the regional flood barrier right through the village. "Previously, governments would make plans and they would be presented in the village saying 'this is good for you and this is how we are going to do it,'" begins Mark Pietersen, project manager at Noorderzijlvest Water Board. "In Zoutkamp, we decided to do things differently. We knew we had a major water safety issue, and then, given the impact, we explicitly asked the village to think with us. Make a plan with us. And so in 2018 we went into the farm." 

Wings

One thing leads to another. The same was true with the plan development for Zoutkamp. "Given the impact of the project, we took stock of additional wishes and ideas to see if we could also create social added value with the project," says Eddi Ottens, environmental manager at Noorderzijlvest Water Board. "This creates even more support, we know from experience with a previous dike reinforcement project between Eemshaven and Delfzijl, and you can potentially exploit additional linking opportunities." We spent a lot of time on this in the exploration phase, says Mark. "From that, linkage opportunities arose that guard cultural history, among other things, but also strengthen recreation and tourism. The project suddenly became much broader in scope than just the water safety task. As a result, external funding streams started to flow, deputies and daily board members got behind it. And yes, that's when the project really gets wings." Nieuwe Waterwerken Zoutkamp is therefore partly funded by the National Program Groningen, the Wadden Fund, the Heritage Deal and the Committee on Subsidence.

2-phase contract

During the exploration phase, the Water Board made extensive use of engineering firms. To arrive at a thorough and well-considered design, it was decided to involve the market early on in the project and not wait until the specifications were ready. 

Mark: "So we put a 2-phase contract on the market. Two contractors bid for it and we then went with Strukton for the first phase. The assignment was to come up with a feasible and surprise-free Final Design (DO)." That became final in December 2022, after which the General Board of the Noorderzijlvest Water Board approved the execution credit for the entire project in February 2023." Marcel Kampman, project manager at Strukton: "Ultimately, we arrived at a design in which we are building a new pumping station with the intended capacity of 1,600 m3 per minute next to the monumental Hunsingo sluice built in 1859. The lock will also be tackled. We are going to restore it and convert it to a lock, so that shipping remains possible even when the pumping station is in operation. That is not the case now." 

Main role for former seawall

To minimize the inconvenience in the village, it was decided not to raise the regional dam right through the village, but an alternative was devised in which the former sea dike played a leading role. After all, Zoutkamp used to be located by the sea. When in 1953 as a result of the flood disaster the Lauwerszee was dammed up in 1969 it transformed into a lake. Since then, the Hunsingo sluice in the former sea dike has no longer had a seaward function. "So we have now made the choice to move the whole package up to the sea dike, including the construction of a new pumping station and the restoration and conversion of the 1859 Hunsingo lock, which has been crowned a National Monument, into a lock," says Eddi. "The latter in particular is quite a challenge. Together with Strukton, the responsible government agencies and a restoration architect, we set up an expert team as early as the DO process to fine-tune the design as much as possible." Mark adds: "Normally you submit the DO with the environmental permit and only then is the design reviewed. We didn't have that time here. That's why we chose to run it in parallel. A whole new way of working for everyone involved, but it worked out very well here in the end."

Temporary bypass

Due to the pleasant cooperation between the water board and Strukton in the construction team phase, the realization contract was also awarded to Strukton. "We then started in May 2023 with the realization of a construction pit of 100 by 20 meters for the substructure of the pumping station. In this, 407 combi piles with a precast core and grout casing were installed," says Marcel. "Then the pit was excavated to about 8.5 meters deep and we poured an underwater concrete floor 1 meter thick. The tub was drained and has been fantastically dry ever since." Meanwhile, the structural floor has been poured and external and intermediate walls of the three power shafts have also been completed. "The shell construction of the pumping station has been completely finished since September this year. Now we are slowly beginning the restoration of the Hunsingo lock," says Marcel. "The Hunsingo Canal has now been completely dammed with a construction pit. The old H.D. Louwes pumping station still has to be able to pump the water to the Lauwersmeer next winter season, and that will be done via a bypass through the flow chambers of the new pumping station. Thus, we do not need a temporary pumping installation."

Much support

Support from villagers and other stakeholders is extremely good, notes Eddi who is present on the project on a weekly basis. "True, construction communication is through the contractor, but we as a water board also take our responsibility and are visibly present," he says. "If there is something, we know where to find each other. We also have regular coordination among ourselves and every Friday there is a walk-in morning at the information center. People who have questions can walk in here without obligation. Of course there is disruption, but because agreements are kept, especially when there are obstructions, there is a lot of trust from the environment. And it's our job to maintain that." When asked if this particular customized approach is worth repeating, Mark replies, "It's a nice approach, that's for sure, and it suits such a major intervention in a village. But we also have to reinforce dike sections of 9 kilometers, a different approach suits that."

By October 2025, the entire structural work and most of the completion of the pumping station and lock are scheduled to be completed. This will be followed by a period of adjustment and tuning of the systems. Final acceptance will follow in March 2026. At the same time, Strukton is also carrying out five coupling opportunities for the municipality. A deliberate choice, according to Marcel, so that the local community can see that one party is working on the project and can contact one desk if they have any questions. Besides water safety, traffic safety will also be improved, tourist and recreational opportunities around the Lauwersmeer will be expanded and boating recreation towards the Hogeland and the city of Groningen will be enhanced. Mark concludes, "After completion, we are again challenging the market to dismantle the old H.D. Louwes pumping station in a sustainable, responsible and innovative way."