2024-01-07 07:58:07
Nearly 40 buildings will be destroyed in Pepinster. Municipal authorities have come up with a vast plan to reduce the impact of potential future floods. The aim of this voluntary destruction is to provide more space for the Vesdre and to allow water to be better absorbed by the soil.
They lived in this street and occupied this white house, at Rue Pont Walrant, number 26, in Pepinster. Madeline and Paul lived there for 15 years, but in July 2021, floods ravaged their neighborhood. Their house remained standing, but the water made it uninhabitable.
Every time they walk past it, the memories come flooding back. “It’s a mixture of emotion and nostalgia. Seeing the house like that, it’s a punch in the face to imagine that we will never be able to live there once more,” explains Madeline.
During the floods of July 2021, Madeline, Paul and their children were trapped on their roof for 11 hours. They were saved by civilians and emergency services and unlike some of their neighbors, they are all alive.
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But today, as part of a vast community plan, their house must be destroyed. “I am relieved, because this will be a page that will be turned“, notes Paul. “I didn’t want to leave at the time. Our last son was born here, this house was also my workplace“, explains Madeline, still moved.
Along the Vesdre, homes are still located on the banks, but in the event of heavy rainfall, they would be threatened once more. In total, 40 buildings will be destroyed with the aim of giving more space to the Vesdre and its tributary, the Hogne and reducing the impact of future floods.
“From the moment these buildings have disappeared, this will allow the water to take its place more easily and preserve the center of the village of Pepinster“, notes Philippe Godin, mayor of Pepinster. The municipality has a budget of around 32 million euros from the Walloon Region, particularly to buy back buildings from local residents. For their house, Madeline and Paul received 85,000 euros.
This amount, in addition to the insurance money, allowed them to buy a home in Pepinster. Although they were able to save some elements of their old home, Madeline and Paul will need time. “We will never be 100% here, part of my heart is always on the other side“, she notes.
La Vesdre dictates its law in Pepinster and today, water is still a threat so the town has planned a plan to try to prevent a new tragedy. To make more room for the river that flows at the bottom of their garden, Sylvain and Christelle will also have to move.
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After the floods, they thought they might stay at home and financed 130,000 euros of work: a useless renovation, because their house will be destroyed. “Imagine that you rebuild everything, and we have to destroy everything once more“, regrets Christelle.
The municipality offered to buy their home for 140,000 euros, but with their budget, they might not find accommodation that might accommodate them and their three children. However, the deadline is approaching and inevitably the tension is increasing for the family…
Most of the citizens accepted the plan of the Pepinster authorities: they sold their house to the municipality and went to live elsewhere, but some refused to leave, like Jean. He rents a house bought by the municipality. An agreement was reached: he has a life lease with his partner Nicole.
The two septuagenarians can stay on one condition: they will have to move if floods recur. “We cannot live in fear. People will say we’re playing with fire, but anything can happen, anywhere“.
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Today, Pepinster no longer has the same face and the threat of water is forcing the town to further modify its landscape. The voluntary destruction of 40 buildings is ultimately only the beginning of the new history of the town.
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