Sufficient Clean Water for People and Nature

Sufficient clean water is essential for people and nature. Population growth, economic development, and increasing water demand are placing growing pressure on our water resources. At the same time, climate change, drought, heatwaves, and the intensification of groundwater and surface water abstraction are reducing both water availability and water quality. TRANSWATER investigates how water resources can remain resilient in the future, supporting drinking water production, ecosystems, and other societal functions. 

Fundamentally transforming the water system 

TRANSWATER addresses pressing societal questions. What are the implications of a warmer and drier climate for groundwater and surface water quality? What consequences will these changes have for human and ecosystem health? And why does fundamentally transforming the water system prove so difficult in practice? By integrating scientific knowledge with legal, governance and societal perspectives, the consortium aims to develop concrete pathways for action towards a climate-resilient water system. 

Better decision-making for clean water 

The project integrates knowledge of water systems and water quality with legal and ethical considerations and the implications for human and ecosystem health. Regional transition labs play a central role in this approach. These bring together researchers, public authorities, water managers, drinking water utilities and other stakeholders to share knowledge and experience and jointly shape the transition towards a sustainable water system. 

According to Thom Bogaard, Professor of Hydrology and Geomorphology at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), practical challenges are at the heart of this approach. Through the transition labs, researchers identify the knowledge needs of stakeholders and work with them to translate these into research questions. The knowledge generated will ultimately be incorporated into assessment frameworks, transition pathways and decision-support tools, helping water managers navigate complex decisions concerning water quality and availability. 

“We decided to join forces with virtually the entire hydrological sector in the Netherlands.” 
Thom Bogaard, Professor of Hydrology and Geomorphology at Delft University of Technology. 

Ultimately, the project will deliver tools that enable better-informed and more equitable decisions about the management of clean water resources, both now and in the future. 

KWR connects science and practice 

For KWR, TRANSWATER aligns closely with the ambitions of Waterwijs, the joint research programme of the Dutch drinking water sector. This connection ensures that new scientific insights are translated into knowledge and practical solutions that help drinking water utilities prepare for future challenges. All Dutch drinking water utilities and the Flemish water utility De Watergroep are involved in the consortium. 

“KWR continuously invests in a strong knowledge base to bridge the gap between science and practice. TRANSWATER provides an excellent opportunity to connect new scientific insights with today’s major water challenges, while embedding this knowledge sustainably within the collective knowledge base of the watersector, and the drinking watersector in particular.”
Ruud Bartholomeus, Chief Science Officer and Principal Scientist in Geo- and Ecohydrology at KWR. 

Five Principal Scientists from KWR are involved in the consortium and in supervising PhD candidates: Ruud Bartholomeus, Milou Dingemans, Paul van der Wielen, Sabrina Keijnemans and Roberta Hofman. In addition, Ruud Bartholomeus serves on the TRANSWATER Steering Committee and chairs the project’s Societal Advisory Board. 

About NWA-ORC TRANSWATER 

TRANSWATER has been awarded €7.2 million in funding through the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA), under the Research along Routes by Consortia programme (NWA-ORC). 

The consortium is led by Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and includes Wageningen University & Research, Utrecht University, the University of Twente, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, HAS Green Academy, Almere University of Applied Sciences, KWR, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and Deltares. Drinking water utilities, regional water authorities, nature conservation and agricultural organisations, and consultancy firms are also involved. The objective is to develop and apply scientific knowledge to support a future-proof water system that ensures sufficient clean water for people and nature.