Our Story
Not so long ago, most of our rivers were drinkable. Now, almost none.
When we will have drinkable rivers again, it means that the watershed, and all natural life in it, is healthy and in balance and all actions contribute to this.
We believe that drinkable rivers could be used as a guiding compass for societies, as a replacement of our current focus on economic growth.
To achieve this, Drinkable Rivers mobilises people in watersheds to care for their rivers. We engage with government officials, educate children and undertake research with citizens.
What we do
Once people experience their river, they will understand all her values, love her and start taking care of their river.
Experience, Love, Care, that’s what we believe in.
River Walks
Walking along rivers to engage with people and activate them to care for rivers.
Citizen Science
Engaging people to experience rivers by doing citizen science on water quality.
Activate Care
Building networks in watersheds to initiate actions towards drinkable rivers.
Events
Join a Drinkable Rivers event near you or online!
Media
NPO2
22 March 2020
Drinkbare Maas, NPO2
Vroege Vogels
15 March 2020
Drinkbare Rivieren, Radio 1
De Volkskrant
6 December 2019
De vrouw die de rivieren gaat redden.
Dagblad Trouw
13 October 2018
Li An Phoa wil ervoor zorgen dat we straks gewoon uit de Maas kunnen drinken.
"Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. In 2021, it falls on July 29." Last year it was 'still' end of August. This is sad and shocking. As today comes to an end, I mourn and realise that from tomorrow the rest of the year we live beyond the Earth's capacity and we take away from the future of my nephews and actually all children of all species. How will we radically change our lifestyles and our relationship with our Earth? Perhaps asking yourself the question with each of your choices: does this contribute to a world with drinkable rivers or not?![]()
![]()
#earthovershootday #DrinkableRivers
Promoting our book on festival and radio. Via www.drinkbarerivieren.nl you can listen to the festival presentation and radio interview (both in Dutch). Stay tuned TV coming in a few weeks..!![]()
![]()
#drinkbarerivieren #drinkablerivers #drinkbarerivierenboek
Dragonflies at your river banks are indicators of healthy river system. As larvae they could grow up here in the water and on waterplants and transition to these amazing creatures.
One month later, what a difference! Same place, completely different circumstances. Three pics taken 16 July by Karolien Hupkes, the other three I took at the start of the river IJssel on 7 June. What in our thinking and acting continues to destabilise our climate? Much strength to all of you along the water, thinking of you Meuse and Rhine family!![]()
.![]()
Een maand later, zelfde plek (start van de rivier de IJssel), compleet andere omstandigheden. Wat is ons aandeel in de instabiliteit van ons klimaat? Wat in ons denken en ons handelen draagt hieraan bij? En nu: hoe stabiliseren we weer ons klimaat, wat is daar voor nodig en hoe passen we ons nu aan aan deze instabiele extremen. In ons boek 'Drinkbare rivieren' hebben we het naast persoonlijke avonturen hierover.![]()
Zet 'm op allemaal langs het water, Maas en Rijn familie, ik denk aan jullie..!!
Sources of the L'Escaut (Scheldt/Schelde) in Gouy northern France: lifeline for many lives in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Under tall ash trees and Hawthorns, we slept next to the source last night. Arriving here in the dark, being woken up by a concert of birdsong. Fresh air, flowing, clear and cold water!![]()
.![]()
Reconnecting with source places, last year at the source of the Danube. Gratitude for their abundance of giving, giving life.![]()
.![]()
Empathising with the people near the highwaters. Remembering and mourning lives passing. Celebrating lives alive.
Drinkable RiversTM CC 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License