Wouter Schrijver
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Wouter Schrijver
‘There’s a lot to do in the water sector, so many good engineers are needed’
Wouter Schrijver is a civil engineer who works on designs for water treatment and drinking water plants and their associated infrastructure. He wants to pass his knowledge on to younger colleagues.
Choosing Witteveen+Bos
‘During my civil engineering studies, I took classes on water treatment by Freek Kramer from Witteveen+Bos. Then, while doing an internship at the company, my interest in wastewater and drinking water was further stimulated. The combination of water and engineering really appealed to me. After graduating, I had a choice between Witteveen+Bos and the water authority: both offered me a job. I chose Witteveen+Bos because of the challenges and the young people. I joined a great team. On Thursdays or Fridays, we often go into the city centre for a beer. Some of my colleagues have also become my friends.’
Extra treatment step
‘The challenges in our field are huge. Take, for example, the Water Framework Directive, a stricter standard that will apply from 2027. Its aim is to better protect nature. Many water authorities are now in the process of optimising their facilities. For the Vechtstromen water authority, we’re working on treatment plants in Goor, Glanerbrug, Hengelo and Oldenzaal. By adding an extra treatment step in the form of a sand or cloth filter, the plants’ effluent will become cleaner. It’s a big task, not only because the extra step needs to be accommodated both hydraulically and physically, but also because we want to create the best possible design in a broader sense. We’re considering, for example, the effects on groups of bats that live nearby. And everything has to be operational within two years.’
Internship supervisor
‘In addition to modernisation and optimisation due to stricter regulations and new techniques, the water sector also faces an increasing demand for water. There are more and more of us and we’re all using the same amount of water we always have. That means there’s a lot of work to do in the industry and will be for some time to come. And you need good engineers for that. That’s one of the reasons why I supervise students at Witteveen+Bos. I’ve supervised four interns since I’ve been here. Three of them now work for us. It gives me great satisfaction to see them grow into professionals. Your education is mostly theoretical; in practice things tend to be different and you learn a lot as you go. A good theoretical foundation is important, but the most and the most valuable learning occurs by doing. That’s why I enjoy sharing my knowledge so much.’
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