60,000 m³ of water storage in our natural pond
Rob Reinders
Cultivation Specialist
The San Marzano fruit undergoes a special metamorphosis that grows into a versatile topper in sauces.
Water
Our impact
The Netherlands has traditionally been a water country. We have elevated the (rapid) drainage of rainwater to an art. This approach requires revision with ever-decreasing groundwater levels and drainage problems during peak downpours.
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375,000 m³ of water flow per year.
Water requirement
Wim Peters Kwekerijen
Our greenhouse complex covers over 30 acres of greenhouses. All the rainwater from these is directed to our natural pond. This pond stores 60,000 m³ of rainwater. From here it migrates into the ground, evaporates and we use it for our watering of the plants. Nevertheless, this rainwater currently fills only ⅓ of our annual water needs. We withdraw the remainder from the canal (Meuse water) and from the ground.
Future water sources
vision
Future Vision
Our vision for the future includes finding an
alternative for the groundwater we currently
extract. To achieve this, we will increase our use of rainwater by working collaboratively with the municipality and the regional water board. And we will install a dehumidification system in the greenhouses and fine-tune it to the point where this becomes an art form in itself. At present, every litre of water is currently administered to our plants 1.25 times. Our goal is to increase this ratio to 1.5 times through dehumidification. This will also have a positive effect on the ‘energy & environment’ pillar.
Dehumidification leads to a better greenhouse
climate and heating dry greenhouse air requires
less energy than heating humid greenhouse air. A win-win situation, in other words.
Water treatment plant
In addition to this future vision for water, we
launched a programme to improve and expand
our water treatment capacity in 2022. This system
ensures water of the right quality before it is
administered to our plants, which in turn use it to
produce the tastiest tomatoes you can imagine. We have set the bar high. After passing through a sand filter, UV filter and active carbon filter, this water is virtually pure enough to drink.
We have elevated reuse of water to a fine art.
Meet Henk
A green hero
My name is Henk van der Loos. I was born and raised in the Westland area of the Netherlands, which is surrounded by water. My father was a professional horticulturist.
At Wim Peters Kwekerijen I hold the position of cultivation specialist and manage water management. The latter is no coincidence. All my life I have been attracted to water and seek my relaxation there. I was born on the water! My parents had just returned from a boat trip before I was born.
