La Semois À Lacuisine

Belgium River 2 - Good

The Semois bathing water at Lacuisine is located in the Semois-Chiers sub-basin of the Meuse International River Basin District. Officially designated as a bathing zone on 24 July 2003, it features a beach length of 53.2 metres and an average water width of 40 metres, with depths ranging from 0.2 to 1.3 metres. The riverbed consists of silt and stones. The bathing zone has experienced recurring contamination problems resulting in repeated closures over many years, with compliance declared only three times in the past two decades.

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Water

River (Semois). Beach length: 53.2 metres. Average water width: 40 metres. Minimum depth: 0.2 metre. Maximum depth: 1.3 metre. Riverbed composition: silt and stones. The water body is part of the Semois III water mass (code SC28R).

Location

The bathing zone is located at Lacuisine near Florenville in the Semois-Chiers sub-basin. A pumping station at rue du Parc is located approximately 300 metres upstream. The village of Chiny is also nearby upstream.

Water Quality

The bathing water shows recurring contamination problems. In the past 20 years, the zone was declared compliant only in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Sampling campaigns in 2016 and 2017 revealed E. coli concentrations ranging from 30 to 5352 CFU/100ml and intestinal enterococci from 15 to 742 CFU/100ml. A significant contamination peak was identified approximately 500 metres upstream of the bathing zone. During dry weather, E. coli concentrations are generally below 1000 CFU/100ml except for the last section upstream. High rainfall (exceeding 10mm within 48 hours before sampling) typically triggers E. coli threshold exceedances.

Risks

Overflow from the pumping station at rue du Parc regularly discharges into the Semois approximately 300 metres upstream of the bathing zone, directly affecting water quality. Livestock access to the river occurs at two locations upstream (100 metres and 700 metres). Contamination levels increase significantly following heavy rainfall. The Chiny wastewater treatment plant and second collector, scheduled for commissioning in 2018, are expected to reduce bacterial contamination.