Infrastructure giant Joosten Group acquires strategic stake in rainwater systems developer JustNimbus

To address the future challenges surrounding water shortages in the Netherlands, Joosten Groep has announced that it is taking a strategic stake in JustNimbus. JustNimbus is a leading pioneer in rainwater systems for households and businesses that ensures water use can be reduced by up to 50%. Joosten Group's investment paves the way for the national rollout of rainwater systems.

JustNimbus has developed a system that allows rainwater to be collected and used for various household applications, such as watering gardens, flushing toilets and washing clothes. "These have now been installed at 500 private homes, at several companies and at large-scale new construction projects" says Iwan Fransen, founder and director of JustNimbus. "For an average single-family home, JustNimbus provides about 35000 liters of usable water per year."

"By 2040 we will be 300 billion gallons short of water, according to the RIVM" [1] says Raymond Brewer, General Manager Joosten Group. "While some 200 billion liters of water disappear through the toilet every year. [2] So, in theory, you could solve a substantial portion by flushing toilets with rainwater alone. Our investment in JustNimbus marks an important step in our joint mission to provide sustainable solutions to the growing challenges surrounding water shortages."

Netherlands water country?

Although the Netherlands is known worldwide as a country with high rainfall, water scarcity is one of the most pressing climate risks. This was revealed by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) in a recent climate report. During recent periods of drought, drinking water supplies came under pressure. Priority rules ensured that in some areas supply could still just be met, where other users did not always get enough water. This has detrimental effects on nature, agriculture and water quality. These risks are only expected to increase in the future. Experts warn of a national drinking water shortage by 2030. Currently we fall back on existing adaptation measures, but their limits have been reached. It is therefore important that climate adaptation is given a central role in our spatial policy. Building infrastructure that contributes to the resilience of our living environment is crucial.

Rainwater normalization

With the strategic stake in JustNimbus, Joosten Groep will implement the JustNimbus systems in their projects and therefore scale up faster. In addition, Joosten Group will provide marketing and sales support. By standardizing the utilization of rainwater, for both the private and private sectors, we can meet the growing water needs in times of drought.