Jump into a Belgian river near you!

Have you sometimes passed by a cool stretch of water on a hot day and thought you’d just like to jump into it to cool off? But you are aware of the signs that say “no swimming in the river!”

Well this Sunday July 12th is your chance to ignore the signs and just do it. It’s the Big Jump, or the European River Swimming Day, when you can join with others to jump into a local river where the water quality has been tested and approved as safe.

Where can you do this? As with many Belgian events, there doesn’t seem to be a single Belgian website, so if you live in Flanders or Brussels you need to go here, and if you want to jump into a river in Wallonia you need to go here.

It’s not just to have fun. It’s educational too. The event draws attention to our waterways, which are essential to ecological health. Yet they are being increasingly polluted every day by industry, agriculture and households. The Big Jump puts rivers in the spotlight, and gives the opportunity for environmental organizations to bring water conditions to the attention of politicians.