Residents of the Norg-West residential area still have to be patient, because a new sewerage system is not yet in place. If everything had gone well, the multimillion-dollar project would have started after the construction holiday in 2023, but that is not the case. That is why it is likely that the district will be turned upside down for a new sewerage system early next year.
The sewer system in the neighborhood needs to be replaced, because the neighborhood has been struggling with flooding for years. And in addition to better arranging the drainage of rainwater, Norg-West is also getting a makeover. There will be more greenery and it will be a more sustainable neighbourhood. These are activities that take place above the ground.
The fact that things are not going well is due to calculations made for the underground part in the district, says Alderman Kirsten Ipema (Municipal Interests Noordenveld). “During the residents’ meeting last year I also said that a number of starting points are not correct and we therefore have to go back to the drawing board. We have been working on that recently and that is against it.”
The modified plan was now ready internally, but there was still discussion about one part. “And that is the reason why we now have to postpone it again. This part requires further investigation. That is why we cannot start after this year’s construction holiday,” says Ipema. The fact that they won’t start later this year has to do with the fact that they don’t open the streets just before winter.
Local resident Remko Nieboer is now tired of waiting, not because it takes so long, but mainly because there is no communication to the neighborhood. “We don’t know anything. There is little or no communication with the neighborhood. If we didn’t ask the municipality anything, we wouldn’t know anything either. And that’s the problem.”
A few weeks ago, the neighborhood received a letter stating that work will not take place in the area until the spring of 2024. But Nieboer has not seen anyone else in the street. “Show your face and feel involved with the resident. But people don’t look further than Roden. That’s how it comes across a bit.”
Nieboer is happy that the municipality is going to tackle the sewage system. “And above all that they are also going to tackle the entire neighborhood right away. So not only underground, but also above it. Only there are streets where people hope it will stay dry, because otherwise they will have wet food there. And I don’t think that intention.”
Alderman Ipema finds it annoying to hear these stories. “I understand that the neighborhood finds it annoying. It’s not a nice message to communicate, but we don’t have anything concrete yet. So we can’t bring any concrete news yet.”
Initially, the project was to start in 2022 and despite several postponements, the work will continue. Even if the costs will rise even more. Because in 2021, the city council agreed to an investment of 2.8 million. Last year it appeared that the increased prices made the project 1.1 million euros more expensive. Alderman Ipema cannot yet say how much the project will cost at the moment.