New manhole covers in Zoetermeer

"As a public space alderman, I consider good street furniture and public greenery of great importance. With this manhole cover, a new item is added. The idea is that every time a manhole cover needs replacement, it will be replaced for the manhole cover with the municipal coat of arms," explained Alderman Van der Meer. "The old lids are from the early 1960s and often still have a brand image of an old sewer service." The lids weigh about 50 kilograms, are finished in black and have a diagonal of 52 or 61 cm.

Lakeflowers

The coat of arms of Zoetermeer, was granted to the municipality in 1936. It shows 3 lake flowers and is based on the earlier municipal coat of arms from 1816. The lions find their origin in the old coat of arms of Zegwaart. The oldest depiction of the coat of arms of Zoetermeer is on a register of land rent received from 1784. During this period, the Oude Kerk on Dorpsstraat was also built where the coat of arms flaunts above the ambassador's bench.

The first manhole cover with the municipal coat of arms is on Huygens Street. At the entrance to the City Hall-Forum at 502 Engelandlaan , the new manhole cover can even be admired in color. Right next to the manhole cover that commemorates the visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in 2013. The fact that some streets have 2 manhole covers next to each other is due to the separate sewer system introduced in the 1980s. In this system, rainwater is drained separately from dirty water. The covers have a lifespan of about 80 years.