In Nieuwpoort, Belgian companies will soon draw water from the sea in order to create clean drinking water, according to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. The technology to do this already exists, but Belgian start-up HydroVolta is the only company in the world to have made the process cheaper and more ecological on a larger scale.

The project, in collaboration with three water companies (Aquaduin, Farys, and De Watergroup), seeks to generate an extra four million cubic metres of water. It is expected the benefits of the project will outweigh the high costs, if the project is launched carefully. Desalination is usually an energy intensive and expensive process, limiting its practical applications.