Dozens of houses in Oisterwijk have moisture damage, now that it has been raining more than usual for a year and a half. The groundwater level is high and therefore moisture pulls into the houses. Floors are crooked and paint peeling off the walls. Some residents point with the accusing finger at the municipality and the water board: “For they are responsible for the groundwater level”.
Two neighborhoods in Oisterwijk are particularly affected by the high water: the Schoutenbuurt and the Bunders. Patrick Simons lives in the Durdaalreef in the latter neighborhood. In his living room he walks to the fireplace in the middle of the living room. “You can see it well here,” he points to a moisture spot next to the fireplace. Rising moisture, so that the paintwork on the wall comes loose above the plinth, stands up and has fallen off in some places.
“Storing makes no sense if it gets wet every year.”
The nuisance started about four years ago: “We have wetter winters. And it is moist all year round. And once it’s there, it doesn’t pull away anymore. ” He no longer paints: “Storing makes no sense if it gets wet every year. As long as the water does not stay away, it makes no sense to remedy this. “
There are also moisture spots in the kitchen and at the front door. “The neighbor has it too. And also people with the same problem live further in the neighborhood. We are somewhat lower in Oisterwijk, it will come through. “
At Sylvia Hamerlinck in the Schout de Walestraat, the PVC floor is full of moisture. When we visit her, she just discovers a new piece that has been crooked: “But that will get worse next week, when it starts to rain again. Then the groundwater comes up. “
She points to a lighter piece in the floor: “That is a moisture. I have several there ”, she walks to another piece on the floor and points to a few bumps:“ All moisture. And it continues completely. ” Sylvia stands at a point that comes up and moves up and down. The hall was also struck by the moisture, but you don’t see anything there anymore: “I had that redecorated, it looked so battered.”
“Residents must also take measures themselves.”
“We all experience the consequences of climate change,” says the municipality of Oisterwijk in a response. “With our policy we try to respond to increasingly extreme weather, to catch the consequences as much as possible. But residents will also have to take measures themselves that match the changing reality. “
And so there is nothing else for Sylvia to replace the floor in the living room: “The entire floor has to be removed, also because there is mold. While I have only been living here for a few years, that floor is new. Very harsh that he has to get out now. ” Eighty square meters of floor must replace Sylvia. “And you won’t get anything reimbursed. That is of course nasty. ”
She takes her phone and shows photos from the group app with fellow sufferers with moisture problems. “Here, a parquet floor. Fierce, right? ” She shows a map showing the houses from the neighborhood. The houses with the largest moisture problems are circled. Seventeen circles can be seen.
Patrick: “Nobody is responsible. Ultimately, you have to solve it yourself. The municipality points to the water board and the water board actually does nothing. But they are responsible for the groundwater level. It seems to me that you have to pump a little more here in the neighborhood, now that it has started to rain lake and harder. ”
“A full sponge no longer absorbs water.”
“We have been draining water for a year and a half,” responds Watergraaf Erik de Ridder van Water Board De Dommel. “As much as we can. We put weirs down, we mow as much and as short as possible. All so that the water can go away as quickly as possible. But it rains so incredibly much, this is really an exceptional situation. The area is completely full With water and a full sponge, the water now falls away.
To ensure that the moisture problems stay away in the future, Sylvia has electric floor heating installed. “So that the moisture evaporates faster.” She has no choice, she thinks: “Because I don’t want any moisture in the house. That refers to your body, on your health. “
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