Caglar Bozan

Guest

caglar.bozan@kwrwater.nl

Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Raw Water Pipeline Knowledge Platform

Dunea, PWN, Waternet and Evides use surface water as a primary source for drinking water production and for supplying water to industry. These utilities operate extensive trunk main systems that were constructed…

Read more about Raw Water Pipeline Knowledge Platform
Alternative resources and water reuse
SOLUCIR

The ‘Solutions for Circular Water and Decentralisation’ (SOLUCIR) project is an EU-funded project dedicated to accelerating the transition toward circular and decentralised water and wastewater solutions. The project consortium consists of 16 partners with National Technical University…

Read more about SOLUCIR
Alternative resources and water reuse
Resource Recovery

In a world facing increasing resource demands, supply chain constraints, and dependence on critical raw materials, resource recovery is becoming essential for building resilient and sustainable economies. Resource recovery technologies help reduce waste, strengthen supply chains, create…

Read more about Resource Recovery
Sufficient water
Industrial water and municipal wastewater

KWR conducts applied research and innovation in industrial water and municipal wastewater treatment, water reuse, resource recovery, and emissions reduction. We help utilities and industries improve water efficiency, recover valuable resources, and…

Read more about Industrial water and municipal wastewater
Sufficient water
Water for Hydrogen Production (W4H2)

The Water for Hydrogen Production (W4H2) project focuses on the decisions required for the water supplies needed for green hydrogen, now and in the future. This research is being conducted against a…

Read more about Water for Hydrogen Production (W4H2)
Customer perspective and behavioural research
Boil notices

When drinking water is microbiologically contaminated, a boil notice may be issued advising people to boil water for 3 minutes. This project is looking at whether heating water to a rolling boil is adequate as a way…

Read more about Boil notices
Customer perspective and behavioural research
Artist in Residence programme

The Artist in Residence (AiR) programme at KWR brings together artistic and scientific research practices to develop new perspectives on water-related challenges. By creating space for imagination, reflection and experimentation, it contributes to alternative forms of knowledge production and transformative learning…

Read more about Artist in Residence programme
Social environment and area planning processes
Myths & Sagas

Stories give meaning to water. Water plays different roles in myths and sagas, not only as a physical element but also as a life force, as a threat, as a moral force or as a partner. Through…

Read more about Myths & Sagas
To measure is to know
Role of microbes in smell/taste complaints

Drinking water utilities receive consumer complaints every year about the smell and taste of drinking water. The causes of these smell and taste complaints are often unknown. However, there may be a microbial…

Read more about Role of microbes in smell/taste complaints
Society
Stakeholder involvement and governance
Engaged Citizenship

There has been a strong focus on different forms of active, engaged or democratic citizenship in recent years. For example, in mid-2024, the lower house of the Dutch parliament conducted a debate about a parliamentary letter on…

Read more about Engaged Citizenship
Customer perspective and behavioural research
Building trust

Trust is a topic that has been the subject of a great deal of research, both inside and outside the water sector. In general, this research has shown that trust in drinking water and drinking water utilities is…

Read more about Building trust
Sustainability
Sustainable energy
CHILL – Cooling and Heating Integrated Low Temperature Logistics

The CHILL project is investigating how public very-low-temperature networks (VLT networks) can become an affordable, safe and future-resilient heating and cooling solution for the built environment. By contributing…

Read more about CHILL – Cooling and Heating Integrated Low Temperature Logistics
Reducing emissions or negative impact
BROWSE – Determining and Reporting the Environmental Impact of the Dutch Water Sector

In the BROWSE project, we are developing a scientifically based method and calculation tool for quantifying the environmental impact of drinking water utilities. In the process, we are…

Read more about BROWSE – Determining and Reporting the Environmental Impact of the Dutch Water Sector
To measure is to know
Does Environmental Weathering Alter the TGA-GC/MS Fingerprints of Microplastics?

Microplastics have become a growing concern in aquatic environments due to their potential impact on ecosystems and human health. However, reliable identification of microplastics remains challenging, as environmental…

Read more about Does Environmental Weathering Alter the TGA-GC/MS Fingerprints of Microplastics?
To measure is to know
Diagnostics of ecological surface water quality with DNA tools

The Netherlands is required to comply with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) by 2027 at the latest but the quality of many surface waters still falls short.…

Read more about Diagnostics of ecological surface water quality with DNA tools
Circular systems
Polishing Pellets Recharged

Phosphate pollution leads to excessive algal growth and threatens aquatic life, while stricter WFD and wastewater guidelines present a major phosphate-removal challenge. KWR is developing the Polishing Pellet, a pellet made from the ferrous sludge produced during…

Read more about Polishing Pellets Recharged
Circular systems
Pure Fresh Water and Salt

Changing conditions and future challenges such as anthropogenic pollution and salinisation mean that water utilities are faced with the task of improving robustness and their operational strategies. Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration serves as a strong barrier…

Read more about Pure Fresh Water and Salt
Social environment and area planning processes
Breaking Barriers down for Water Quality

Industrial problem substances are increasingly present in surface and water groundwater, posing a threat to public health through drinking water and food supplies, as well the health of nature, and therefore the…

Read more about Breaking Barriers down for Water Quality
Urban ecohydrology
Energy Grass Project – Water-Resilient Natural Grass for Sports Fields

The managers of sports complexes face major challenges. The chemical control of pests and weeds has been phased out and the leaching of fertilizers has to be reduced.…

Read more about Energy Grass Project – Water-Resilient Natural Grass for Sports Fields
Circular systems
Circular Living Lab for Waterwise Construction

We are working in this project on three unresolved knowledge gaps in the field of waterwise construction: (1) securing public health, (2) an integral overview of promising system concepts, and (3) sustainability…

Read more about Circular Living Lab for Waterwise Construction
Smart water solutions
Deep Adaptation for the Water Sector, phase 2

This project is researching and developing an action perspective for the water sector in relation to possible rapid and long-term changes in the local context or in society that result in new…

Read more about Deep Adaptation for the Water Sector, phase 2
Social environment and area planning processes
Area-based PFAS approach: system & governance analysis

Work package 1: system analysis On the basis of the available knowledge, literature and monitoring data acquired in the Clean Meuse Water Chain (SMWK), establish a picture of…

Read more about Area-based PFAS approach: system & governance analysis
Sufficient water
Together for Balance II. Water system and water chain connected

In recent years, the WiCE research programme has developed knowledge in both physical-scientific and social-scientific research relating to ways of shaping the water transition. In the WiCE project…

Read more about Together for Balance II. Water system and water chain connected
To measure is to know
Improved Monitoring for Microbiologically Safe Bathing Water

The information available to bathers, water managers and health services is currently inadequate for a satisfactory assessment of the microbiological risks of leisure bathing in surface waters. The…

Read more about Improved Monitoring for Microbiologically Safe Bathing Water
Risks of microbial pathogens and contaminants
Mixture Toxicity Assessment: Advanced Approaches for Drinking Water Quality

This project addresses the growing concern over the health effects of chemical mixtures, which can differ significantly from the effects of individual chemicals. The challenge is exacerbated by…

Read more about Mixture Toxicity Assessment: Advanced Approaches for Drinking Water Quality
Innovative water treatment
Safeguarding drinking water treatment processes with indigenous viruses

Sources for the production of drinking water are increasingly under pressure, partly due to urbanisation, industrialisation and climate change. As a result, alternative sources are being used more…

Read more about Safeguarding drinking water treatment processes with indigenous viruses
Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Detecting (Nano)plastics in Environmental Water Samples

Microplastics have become a growing concern in urban water systems due to their potential impact on both the environment and human health. However, detecting and identifying microplastics—especially in…

Read more about Detecting (Nano)plastics in Environmental Water Samples
Futures studies and strategy development
WaterWise Hub

The WaterWise Excellence Hub is a vibrant, action-oriented initiative that aspires to serve as a catalyst for R&I (creation and uptake), business development, and knowledge dissemination for water in the circular economy (CE). It applies circular economy…

Read more about WaterWise Hub
Reuse
Joint Water Matchmaker

The Waterwijs exploratory research includes the development of a new methodology for designing optimised and future-resilient infrastructure. The aim is to achieve a better balance between water supply and demand at the regional level (across utility boundaries),…

Read more about Joint Water Matchmaker
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
An integrated view from source to tap enabled by digital innovation

This project is creating a blueprint for the development of digital twin applications and services in order to establish a complete picture from source to tap. The applications…

Read more about An integrated view from source to tap enabled by digital innovation
Customer perspective and behavioural research
The different drinking water customers

Drinking water utilities often direct their strategy and communication to the average customer, or to a small number of customer profiles. There is therefore a good chance that certain groups of individuals…

Read more about The different drinking water customers
To measure is to know
Chemradar: high-risk contaminants on the radar?

New substances are developed and marketed every year. At the same time, our knowledge about existing substances continues to grow. For the drinking water sector, it is essential to closely monitor these…

Read more about Chemradar: high-risk contaminants on the radar?
To measure is to know
WaterpatRoon: non-target screening to routine application

Non-target screening is already a powerful technology for monitoring up to thousands of known and unknown substances in a water sample. However, further improvements will be possible in…

Read more about WaterpatRoon: non-target screening to routine application
Social environment and area planning processes
Decision-making under deep uncertainty in the drinking water sector – exploring (DAPP) Multirisk Pathways as a methodology

Climate change, technological developments, and population growth are examples of sources of deep uncertainty that can have a significant impact on the drinking water sector. The Dynamic Adaptive…

Read more about Decision-making under deep uncertainty in the drinking water sector – exploring (DAPP) Multirisk Pathways as a methodology
Health
Emerging contaminants
Protecting Drinking Water Under Different Regulations

Despite advancements in water treatment methods, pervasive water pollution and discussions about alternative sources of drinking water are eliciting stronger regulatory action and pressing the drinking water sector…

Read more about Protecting Drinking Water Under Different Regulations
Customer perspective and behavioural research
Justice as a pillar for the water sector

In 2023, the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) advocated that justice, along with efficiency and legality, should also constitute an important pillar of climate policy and the related ongoing transitions.…

Read more about Justice as a pillar for the water sector
Social environment and area planning processes
Role Performance and Stakeholder Strategies

A utility that does not behave as expected may create unclear situations or even lose credibility. It is therefore essential to examine how role performance is shaped in stakeholder processes and which…

Read more about Role Performance and Stakeholder Strategies
Circular systems
CIRSEAU – Building a water-smart economy and society

In a water-smart society, all available water resources—including surface water, groundwater, wastewater, and process water—are managed to prevent water scarcity and pollution, increase resilience to climate change, mitigate…

Read more about CIRSEAU – Building a water-smart economy and society
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
WATERVERSE

Data spaces are protected environments where participants can access, process and use data, amongst other things. With a focus on water data spaces, the EU-funded Waterverse project aims to develop a water data management ecosystem that will…

Read more about WATERVERSE
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
NATALIE

NATALIE addresses the risks posed by climate change and its impacts and proposes to advance the concepts of “ecosystem-based adaptation” in Europe combined with climate resilient development pathways. With the means for impact driven Nature-Based Solutions (NBS),…

Read more about NATALIE
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
The FRESHMAN-project

Drinking water companies worldwide have freshwater supply problems. The main freshwater source for the Dutch water utility company Dunea is the Maas River, together with the Lek. However, due to extreme drought and intrusion of salty water…

Read more about The FRESHMAN-project
Health
Emerging contaminants
Getting to grips with indirect discharges

Water authorities, environmental services and municipal authorities are increasingly seeing discharges of large quantities of chemical waste and other undesirable substances into the drains and therefore indirectly to surface water. That results…

Read more about Getting to grips with indirect discharges
Impact of the energy transition on water utilities
Flexibility in water

This project addresses the question of how, and in which conditions, water utilities can use the flexibility in the management of their assets to be better placed in a changing energy system. That is important for several…

Read more about Flexibility in water
Impact of the energy transition on water utilities
Water & Energy network group

Global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions include switching to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. Water plays an essential role in this energy transition. In addition, drinking water utilities can contribute to the energy transition with…

Read more about Water & Energy network group
Sustainable heating and cooling
Investigating the options for low-temperature hot tap water in non-residential buildings

Low-temperature (LT) collective hot tapwater systems have a range of advantages over conventional higher-temperature systems. Legionella safety for hot tap water does represent a significant challenge here. Advantages…

Read more about Investigating the options for low-temperature hot tap water in non-residential buildings
Groundwater of good quality
Pesticides in Dutch drinking water sources

By 2027, the Netherlands must comply with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the chemical quality of all designated groundwater and surface waters must be good. The latest WFD evaluation has shown…

Read more about Pesticides in Dutch drinking water sources
Health
Emerging contaminants
HPLC-UV screening project

HPLC-UV (high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection) has been used for over fifteen years by Rijkswaterstaat and Aqualab Zuid to monitor surface water quality. It is a robust, relatively simple technique for the early detection of…

Read more about HPLC-UV screening project
Health
Emerging contaminants
MOMENTUM – Study of the effects of micro- en nanoplastics on health

Micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) have, as a result of plastic use and pollution, been found everywhere, both in the environment and in the human body. The Netherlands…

Read more about MOMENTUM – Study of the effects of micro- en nanoplastics on health
Health
Emerging contaminants
PyHarmony: Development and harmonization of pyrolysis GC-MS methods for the identification and quantification of micro- and nanoplastics

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNP) are a health and environmental concern but little is known about the extent of the problem. Current analytical techniques are unable to reliably quantify…

Read more about PyHarmony: Development and harmonization of pyrolysis GC-MS methods for the identification and quantification of micro- and nanoplastics
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Knowledge file for the water transition and drinking water

The drinking water sector’s collective research programme Waterwijs has developed a lot of knowledge that is valuable and that can be used in work on the water transition.…

Read more about Knowledge file for the water transition and drinking water
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
IDEATION – Inland Waters in the Digital Twin Ocean

The European IDEATION project will deliver a comprehensive roadmap to the European Commission, including a reference architecture, use cases, and recommendations for designing a Digital Twin for Inland…

Read more about IDEATION – Inland Waters in the Digital Twin Ocean
Sustainability
Sustainable energy
Green energy for all: how hydrogen and electricity carry our future

In their book, Groene energie voor iedereen. Hoe waterstof en elektriciteit onze toekomst dragen, which is also published in English as Green energy for all. How hydrogen and…

Read more about Green energy for all: how hydrogen and electricity carry our future
Sustainability
Sustainable resources
Aarhus ReWater

The municipality of Aarhus (Denmark), because its population is growing annually by 5000 people, faces the challenge of both creating a cleaner harbour and bay and increasing the capacity of wastewater treatment plants. The current wastewater treatment…

Read more about Aarhus ReWater
Society
Stakeholder involvement and governance
Transformative Area-oriented Management

The drinking water sector is facing major challenges. Climate change, developments in society and institutional changes are forcing water utilities to seek more collaboration and coordination with other stakeholders so that they…

Read more about Transformative Area-oriented Management
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
RECREATE

Eleven European partners will be working together on using alternative sources and additional buffers to strengthen the resilience of water supplies to water scarcity. KWR is leading a work package with four varied regional case studies: in…

Read more about RECREATE
Health
Microbial safety
PCR methods for legal parameters

In determining the (hygienic) quality of drinking water, use is made of E. coli, intestinal enterococci and bacteria from the coli group (coliforms) as indicator organisms. Culture methods are the standard technique used to establish the presence…

Read more about PCR methods for legal parameters
Circular systems
Wiser with Metal

This practical study investigates how much aquafer can be reprocessed into iron powder of a known quality. If pure enough, the iron powder can be used for a range of high-grade applications, including as a carrier material…

Read more about Wiser with Metal
Health
Safe innovation and the water sector
Rewarding: closing water and nitrate cycles in greenhouse horticulture

The greenhouse horticulture sector in the Netherlands is working on circular food production. On the road to achieving this goal, the sector must focus on, among other things,…

Read more about Rewarding: closing water and nitrate cycles in greenhouse horticulture
Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
An absolute barrier to PFAS in RO concentrate – no PFAS discharge to the environment in the drinking water sector (PAK PFAS)

An inventory study (KWR 2021.040) has shown that drinking water utilities find PFAS in their sources. PFAS are removed effectively during treatment with reverse osmosis (RO) but this…

Read more about An absolute barrier to PFAS in RO concentrate – no PFAS discharge to the environment in the drinking water sector (PAK PFAS)
Society
Stakeholder involvement and governance
Value Case Development: a process methodology for sustainable decision-making

Drinking water utilities will have to make major investments in the coming decades in areas such as asset infrastructure in order to maintain their capacity to continue supplying…

Read more about Value Case Development: a process methodology for sustainable decision-making
Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Closing the Cycle of Nutrients from Wastewater and Process Water (KNAP)

In this cross-sectoral project within TKI Water Technology and TKI Agri & Food, research partners WUR/WENR, KWR and LeAF are working together with a wide range of public-…

Read more about Closing the Cycle of Nutrients from Wastewater and Process Water (KNAP)
Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Waterrotonde Eerbeek

A pilot project has been organised with a circular water management system at the Industriewater Eerbeek (IWE) site. Existing plants treat process water from paper and cardboard mills and recover residual products for use in agriculture. The…

Read more about Waterrotonde Eerbeek
Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Monitoring, modelling and reducing nitrous oxide emissions from WWTPs

Towards mitigation strategies for WWTPs through intensive monitoring and modelling of N2O emissions Industry and society are striving to reduce the carbon footprint in response to tackling climate…

Read more about Monitoring, modelling and reducing nitrous oxide emissions from WWTPs
Biological activity
Roadmap for Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) to monitor microbial drinking water quality

The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis method is suitable for investigating the composition of complex microbial populations. NGS is very valuable for identifying changes in the composition of microbial…

Read more about Roadmap for Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) to monitor microbial drinking water quality
Health
Emerging contaminants
From non-target screening to risk assessment

Non-target screening, bioassays and computer modelling can provide information about the structure, concentration and toxicity of unknown substances in water. Until now, these chemical, biological and computing methods have often been used…

Read more about From non-target screening to risk assessment
Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Towards a knowledge programme for PVC pipe systems

We are researching how drinking water utilities can collect sufficient information about their PVC pipe systems in the years ahead, with a view to further improving the management of existing and yet-to-be-installed…

Read more about Towards a knowledge programme for PVC pipe systems
Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Determining reliability of modelling of drinking water warming

Water utilities want to know at which locations in the distribution network, and during which periods, risks of excessively warm drinking water may occur, and what targeted measures…

Read more about Determining reliability of modelling of drinking water warming
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Methods for decision-making under deep uncertainty

Progressing climate change, technological developments and population growth put our society and also the water sector in a situation of deep uncertainty. Deep uncertainty is a technical term for the unpredictability of…

Read more about Methods for decision-making under deep uncertainty
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
Digital twin as experience accelerator

In which situations can a digital twin of the distribution process play a valuable role in the training of new staff? This is the central question in the project entitled: ‘On the…

Read more about Digital twin as experience accelerator
Public Design for Water
System Knowledge and Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus

Land, food, energy, water and ecosystems are linked to each other (the WEFE nexus), and form interconnected socio-metabolisms at different scales. Within Public Design for Water, we work in…

Read more about System Knowledge and Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus
Society
Stakeholder involvement and governance
The ‘Integrated Area Plan’: designing and assessing integrated solutions in area processes

This project is exploring how professionals working in practice can arrive at well-considered ‘Integrated Area Plans’. An Integrated Area Plan focuses on multiple and integrated solutions for various…

Read more about The ‘Integrated Area Plan’: designing and assessing integrated solutions in area processes
Biological activity
Effect of temperature on the growth of opportunistic pathogens

This project is investigating how the heating up of drinking water affects the growth of opportunistic pathogens in the mains system. We are using a pilot array that…

Read more about Effect of temperature on the growth of opportunistic pathogens
Biological activity
The effects on biological stability and later growth of mixing treated water from alternative sources and conventionally produced drinking water

This project will determine the effect of mixing drinking water extracted from new sources (groundwater and surface water) with drinking water from conventional treatment on the biological stability…

Read more about The effects on biological stability and later growth of mixing treated water from alternative sources and conventionally produced drinking water
Health
Emerging contaminants
Sewage surveillance of drug use

Drug use is a recognised societal problem. It is damaging to public health and has negative (undermining) consequences for public security and the environment. An effective drug policy needs to be founded on reliable drug-use and -dealing…

Read more about Sewage surveillance of drug use
Health
Microbial safety
Reliable detection and control of Legionella pneumophila in wastewater

In recent years, the number of registered patients with a Legionella infection has increased in the Netherlands, with the majority of infections caused by Legionella pneumophila. L. pneumophila…

Read more about Reliable detection and control of Legionella pneumophila in wastewater
Public Design for Water
Customer Perspectives and Behavioural Research

In the transition to a more water-aware society, it is essential to listen to and fully understand drinking water customers. How do these customers view drinking water and water conservation? What do…

Read more about Customer Perspectives and Behavioural Research
Public Design for Water
Social Environment and Area Planning Processes

We live in a time of transitions and changes, both in organisations and in the physical environment. We have ambitions in the area of climate adaptation, the water transition, the energy transition…

Read more about Social Environment and Area Planning Processes
Public Design for Water
Futures Studies and Strategy Development

For the timely recognition of threats and opportunities, and, as a society, to react to them effectively, we need to explore the future. Within Public Design for Water, the Futures Studies and…

Read more about Futures Studies and Strategy Development
Sustainability
Climate change and resilience
Water-kennis: an immersive media experience

Turn on your tap, shower or flush your toilet, and clean water flows out. But where does this water come from? The availability of enough clean water has become an issue for…

Read more about Water-kennis: an immersive media experience
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Monitoring nutrient measures

In many areas of the Netherlands the surface-water quality still does not meet the WFD targets. In the present project two catchment areas in the provinces of North Brabant and Flevoland are being intensively monitored for nutrients,…

Read more about Monitoring nutrient measures
Society
Citizen science and public participation
Customer Perspectives 2.0

In the Joint Research Programme (BTO) Customer theme group, four customer perspectives were developed which provide insight into the diversity of drinking water customers, with their different expectations, desires, concerns and needs. In 2018, the distribution and…

Read more about Customer Perspectives 2.0
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Can’t escape the WaterScape: transforming water and governance systems for dealing with climate impacts in the Dutch Delta

With projected increase in floods and drought it is apparent that the Dutch water system needs to change. In WaterScape we explore large-scale spatial transitions in the physical…

Read more about Can’t escape the WaterScape: transforming water and governance systems for dealing with climate impacts in the Dutch Delta
Health
Microbial safety
AMVD Reference Document revision

Dutch drinking water utilities need to demonstrate that drinking water is safe and does not spread any infectious diseases. To this end, they establish for each drinking water treatment process an Analysis of Microbial Safety of Drinking…

Read more about AMVD Reference Document revision
Society
Citizen science and public participation
Socio-technological legitimisation of water-related reuse

Institutional trust and legal and regulatory frameworks can contribute to the socio-technological legitimisation of new technologies for water-related reuse. In this study, twelve legitimisation strategies were identified (see…

Read more about Socio-technological legitimisation of water-related reuse
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
BTO/WiCE 2024-2029: current and urgent

The Onderzoeksvisie Gezamenlijk Wateronderzoek voor 2024-2029 voor BTO/WiCE (BTO/WiCE Research Vision of the Collective Water Research for 2024-2029) presents a varied and current programme with innovation, valuable knowledge development and a focus…

Read more about BTO/WiCE 2024-2029: current and urgent
Biological activity
Accelerate Energy Transition with Aquathermia 2.0

In its National Climate Agreement, the Dutch government has made commitments to reducing the emission of CO2. One of the sectors referred to in the agreement is the built environment. Heat demand…

Read more about Accelerate Energy Transition with Aquathermia 2.0
Biological activity
Effect of temperature on the growth of opportunistic pathogens

In this study we investigate how the increase in the temperature of drinking water influences the growth of particular pathogens, known as opportunistic pathogens, in the drinking water…

Read more about Effect of temperature on the growth of opportunistic pathogens
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
Alternative Drinking Water Sources

Safeguarding microbial safety in the use of alternative drinking water sources is an important subject of concern for the future. For this reason, drinking water utilities are researching the potential of new…

Read more about Alternative Drinking Water Sources
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
The Ultimate Water Plant

The Ultimate Water Plant is a collaborative project involving parties in the water sector who want to demonstrate how, and subject to which conditions, treated sewage can be made available as a supplementary source of drinking water.…

Read more about The Ultimate Water Plant
Biological activity
ProVe IT-LT: Proven Safe and Innovative Hot Tap Water at Low Temperature

A low temperature (LT; 50 °C) in heating networks offers various advantages, such as reduced heat loss during heat distribution. Moreover, a low supply temperature is also increasingly…

Read more about ProVe IT-LT: Proven Safe and Innovative Hot Tap Water at Low Temperature
Society
Citizen science and public participation
Longitudinal customer research

Longitudinal customer research can help drinking water utilities better tailor their services to their customers. To enable the best possible design of these studies, an ‘ideal’ questionnaire has been developed, as a part of a larger whole.…

Read more about Longitudinal customer research
Society
Citizen science and public participation
The customer as tourist

For the drinking water utilities customers are not only drinking water consumers. As tourists they also use the nature areas that these organisations manage. What is the perception of the customer as tourists? And to what extent…

Read more about The customer as tourist
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
The role of sludge in infiltration ponds in OMP removal during dune infiltration

Drinking water utilities that use dune infiltration or riverbank filtration employ infiltration ponds with a sludge layer. This project investigates the role played by the thickness and conditions…

Read more about The role of sludge in infiltration ponds in OMP removal during dune infiltration
Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
ANCHOR: broad knowledge development about urban water reuse

In this project, we will study the application of water reuse in the built environment from technical, societal, governance and economic perspectives. The goal is to establish a…

Read more about ANCHOR: broad knowledge development about urban water reuse
Biological activity
Biological treatment of RO concentrate

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water treatment technique that involves the use of semi-permeable membranes to remove unwanted molecules and particles. It is an effective way of extracting a wide variety of…

Read more about Biological treatment of RO concentrate
Biological activity
Risk of L. pneumophila with heating networks

In this project, a qualitative microbiological risk analysis is being conducted to determine the effect of using heating networks for domestic connections on the number of patients with L. pneumophila. In addition, we…

Read more about Risk of L. pneumophila with heating networks
Sustainability
Climate change and resilience
VIPNL: Wetland crops on water-rich peat

This project is investigating how wetland agriculture on water-rich peat can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land subsidence, and deliver improvements in water quality and biodiversity. The focus is on…

Read more about VIPNL: Wetland crops on water-rich peat
Health
Safe innovation and the water sector
TUBES as a controlled test environment for low-threshold pilot projects

In this project, we are investigating the possibilities and limitations of distributed-optical-fibre detection techniques in a controlled test environment. This projectis being organised in a broad alliance of…

Read more about TUBES as a controlled test environment for low-threshold pilot projects
Health
Emerging contaminants
Lead from brass components – phase III

This project examines the Dutch drinking water sector’s sampling protocol to control lead concentrations at the tap. With a tightening of the lead standard, the performance of this protocol needs to be…

Read more about Lead from brass components – phase III
Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Insight into connecting pipes

There is still not enough attention being paid to connecting pipes in the transport and distribution network of the Dutch water utilities and De Watergroep in Flanders. Our understanding of the condition, failure probability and residual lifespan…

Read more about Insight into connecting pipes

All projects ()

Publications

All publications

News

News

PFAS in tap water: safe today, concerns for tomorrow

24 September 2026 — Greenpeace’s large-scale PFAS campaign [Verbied giftig PFAS - Greenpeace Nederland] became the top news story in the Netherlands…

Read more about PFAS in tap water: safe today, concerns for tomorrow
News

New roadmap to accelerate innovation in water quality management

17 September 2026 — On 16 September, in the VPdelta field lab in Blijdorp Zoo, TKI Water Technology presented the roadmap ‘Action-oriented…

Read more about New roadmap to accelerate innovation in water quality management
News

Jos Boere takes leave of KWR and Allied Waters after seventeen years

08 September 2026 — On 3 September, Jos Boere bid farewell to KWR at a busy symposium. Colleagues and collaborators look back…

Read more about Jos Boere takes leave of KWR and Allied Waters after seventeen years
News

WarmteStad and KWR demonstrate a sustainable heat system for Groningen using a digital twin

31 August 2026 — WarmteStad and KWR have completed a demonstration project in Groningen in which a sustainable heating system combining residual…

Read more about WarmteStad and KWR demonstrate a sustainable heat system for Groningen using a digital twin
News

Six-year programme expands knowledge of ageing pvc pipes

18 August 2026 — In the Netherlands, around 60,000 kilometres of pvc drinking water pipes are buried underground. This makes pvc the…

Read more about Six-year programme expands knowledge of ageing pvc pipes
Blog

KWR highlights water quality research at the Annual Dutch Toxicology meeting (NVT 2026)

06 August 2026 — KWR participated in the 47th Annual Meeting of the Dutch Society of Toxicology (NVT), held on June 23-24, 2026,…

Read more about KWR highlights water quality research at the Annual Dutch Toxicology meeting (NVT 2026)
News

New composition of KWR Management Team

13 July 2026 — Two vacancies within KWR’s Management Team have been filled. As of 1 July, Andrew Segrave has started as…

Read more about New composition of KWR Management Team
Water Sector

Monitoring recirculated irrigation water in the greenhouse

09 July 2026 — As greenhouse horticulture moves towards near-zero emissions, careful monitoring of recirculation water quality is becoming increasingly important. In…

Read more about Monitoring recirculated irrigation water in the greenhouse
Blog

Agentic water modelling took the spotlight at HIC 2026

08 July 2026 — Last week, Christos and Dennis represented KWR at the 16th International Conference on Hydroinformatics (HIC 2026) in Zaragoza.…

Read more about Agentic water modelling took the spotlight at HIC 2026
Blog

Collaboration emerges as key to accelerating circular water use in industry at WIN2026

08 July 2026 — How do we move circular industrial water use from promising concepts to practical, trusted and widely implemented solutions?…

Read more about Collaboration emerges as key to accelerating circular water use in industry at WIN2026
Blog

DigiLab Software workshop: drinking water distribution tools

08 July 2026 — On a sunny Thursday, 18 June, more than 25 colleagues from the water utilities met at KWR to…

Read more about DigiLab Software workshop: drinking water distribution tools
Blog

Picking our battles: early insights from the Battle of the Water-Futures

29 June 2026 — From 18 to 21 May 2026, researchers, engineers and water professionals gathered in Paphos, Cyprus, for the 4th…

Read more about Picking our battles: early insights from the Battle of the Water-Futures
Blog

The water transition in motion: lessons from the policy afternoon

25 June 2026 — The Knowledge File brought water professionals, researchers and policymakers together to discuss the challenges of the water transition.…

Read more about The water transition in motion: lessons from the policy afternoon
Blog

Evides Future-Proof Research Afternoon

25 June 2026 — On 2 June, Evides presented the structural research programme it has been working on since 2014. Under the…

Read more about Evides Future-Proof Research Afternoon
Blog

From chatbots to agents: AI’s next wave in water

19 June 2026 — During the 2nd Waterwise Hydroinformatics Knowledge Exchange meeting of 2026, researchers, water utilities and industry partners came together…

Read more about From chatbots to agents: AI’s next wave in water
Water Sector

How can we prepare our urban water for the future?

19 June 2026 — Water poses enormous challenges for cities but KWR also believes there are opportunities here to make the urban…

Read more about How can we prepare our urban water for the future?
News

After the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize: Gertjan Medema accelerates the development of wastewater surveillance

18 June 2026 — During Singapore International Water Week 2026, KWR researcher Gertjan Medema, an expert in wastewater surveillance, will give a…

Read more about After the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize: Gertjan Medema accelerates the development of wastewater surveillance
News

TKI Water Technology – Annual Report 2025: innovations shaping our future

17 June 2026 — The TKI Water Technology 2025 Annual Report shows how technology developers, research organisations and end users are working…

Read more about TKI Water Technology – Annual Report 2025: innovations shaping our future