We are optimists, and we think the future is bright. That’s why Paradise City Festival is an event that works with a strict environmental policy. We hope to instigate positive change and inspire our visitors to live sustainably. In this series, we highlight each and every detail of our plan to minimize our ecological footprint. Since today is World Water Day, we are proud to present the details of our water use and wastewater plan.
Paradise City has used water use calculators at each terminal for a few years, allowing for better data on the total water consumption. Since the temperatures during the festival were relatively high in 2022, we have installed several free drinkwater taps. Last summer, we exclusively used vacuum toilets, which lead to a decrease in our wastewater per visitor (more on that later). In 2023, however, we will use compost toilets, further minimising our total water use. We will also execute more water flow checks throughout the festival week to detect possible leakage.
We improved our system of water supply pipes across the domain. The pipes can be switched on and off as needed. So in case of spillage in a certain area (in a bar area, for example), the manager can reach the central dispatcher, who’s will inform the production team which pipe has to be turned off to avoid further spillage and correct the problem. Most importantly, the pipe system allows to shutdown individual pipes while keeping the water supply loop of the festival intact.
Currently, our wastewater per visitor stands at 4,77 litres, decreasing from 7,47 litres last year. These positive numbers are mostly explained by the use of more vacuum toilets. All of Paradise City’s toilet wastewater is collected by DSSV and disposed of after the event at Aquafin, which processes it until it’s safe to be released back into the ecosystem’s waterways. Because Perk’s limited water processing capacity is insufficient to quickly filter the entire weekend’s wastewater, DSSV transports the excess wastewater to the Aquafin filtration facilities in Leuven. Grey water from the camping showers is collected by Hello Water, which processes it within its own facilities.
Since we will use many more vacuum toilets from 2023 onwards, we will minimise toilet wastewater. Last summer, we built a shared toilet zone between the Forest Stage and the campsite. When the festival site was closed, the toilet area was open to the campsite and vice versa, leading to more efficient water use and less wastewater.
Lastly, we are excited to work together again with River Cleanup, a Belgian non-profit organization on a mission to keep our rivers waste-free. Last summer, their motivated team of volunteers collected excess trash on-site and created an awareness campaign about the severe impact of pollution on our ecosystem. All funds gathered from our visitors who donated the deposit on their reusable cups (€8650 in 2022) were donated to their cause. The organization will be present at our next festival in even greater numbers.
Discover more details on our green policies via our green page.
