Stories that coloured 2025

Together, they provide a picture of what was going on: from current issues in the water sector to the personal experiences of our researchers at workshops, conferences and other expert meetings at home and abroad. In-depth articles, in which subject matter experts share their knowledge and insights, have also been included.

For 2025, we have listed the top ten news releases on the home page that received most unique views – regardless of the year when they were published. The total of unique views amounted to almost 8500.

1. Faecal bacteria in drinking water (blog, 18 October 2024) – 1,914 unique viewsAbout wastewater research as a sensitive tool for the early detection of emerging ‘designer drugs’ – which resemble illegal drugs but are not yet covered by the Opium Act.
2. Designer drugs dodge the law (news, 30 September 2021) – 1,198 unique viewsAbout wastewater research as a sensitive tool for the early detection of emerging ‘designer drugs’ – which resemble illegal drugs but are not yet covered by the Opium Act.
3. Is it good to further purify your drinking water at home? (news, 18 July 2019) – 1,055 unique viewsAnswers to consumer questions about treating drinking water themselves, including the podcast ‘When is water clean enough to drink?’ The conclusion: our Dutch drinking water is clean, safe and cheap.
4. A breakthrough for degrading ‘forever chemicals’ (blog, 13 September 2022) – 923 unique viewsA description of recent research showing that many PFAS can be degraded at low temperatures and in mild conditions. What are the implications for the water sector? And: what are PFAS and what makes them so dangerous?
5. What we know about PFAS: the current situation (article, 12 February 2025) – 742 unique viewsPart 1 in a series of articles about how KWR researchers are working on knowledge development relating to PFAS and putting that work into water practice. This time with interviews with experts in water quality and water treatment.
6. 15 years’ research into drugs in sewage water (news, 20 March 2024) – 759 unique viewsKWR studied drugs use in the cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leeuwarden and Eindhoven region from 2010 to 2023: cocaine, MDMA (XTC), amphetamines (speed), THC (cannabis) and methamphetamine (crystal meth).
7. Groundwater infiltration and recharge: what we know (article, 17 June 2025) – 591 unique viewsKWR experts talk about the past, present and future of groundwater infiltration and recharge, one of the options for meeting rising freshwater demand in a changing climate.
8. Water Framework Directive: time is running out (news, 01 September 2023) – 479 unique viewsBy 2027, European surface water and groundwater quality must be up to standard. To identify the Dutch issues and possible solutions, KWR – on behalf of Vewin – drew up three provocative fact sheets  on: the approach to nitrogen emissions, emerging substances and pharmaceutical residues.
9. It is possible: a healthy groundwater system as water buffer and water source” (news, 14 February 2025) – 417 unique viewsKWR’s Chief Science Officer Ruud Bartholomeus delivered his inaugural address as special professor at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) on 14 February 2025. In an interview, he talks about, among other things, how he plans to use his position to generate interest in the issue of freshwater availability.
10. PFAS research for the water sector: what are the issues? (article, 1 July 2025) – 399 unique viewsPart 2 in a series of articles about how KWR researchers are working on knowledge development relating to PFAS and putting that work into water practice. This time about the dunes, activated carbon and the atmosphere, and what these diverse topics have to do with it.