FAQ

What are the future directions of sampling from the water purification plants in the Netherlands?

We will continue with our regular sampling of several wastewater treatment plants in the Netherlands

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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…

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Impact van de energietransitie op waterbedrijven
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…

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Impact van de energietransitie op waterbedrijven
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…

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Duurzaam verwarmen en koelen
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
Grondwater van goede kwaliteit
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…

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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
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…

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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…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
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…

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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 (PAH 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 (PAH 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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
GRROW: an intergenerational lab for the drinking water sector

What does the future water sector look like? What needs to change and what do we want to maintain? The GRROW lab project wants to answer that question…

Read more about GRROW: an intergenerational lab for the drinking water sector
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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.…

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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…

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Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Impact of internal factors on malfunctions

Can malfunctions and/or repair work and pump operations lead to new malfunctions in the mains? This project will investigate this question by determining whether there is a statistical relationship between these factors…

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Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
Quantitative added value of digital water meters and other sensors at customer locations

What are the benefits for the distribution process of different versions of smart water meters and the additional sensors? In this project, quantitative descriptions and model studies will…

Read more about Quantitative added value of digital water meters and other sensors at customer locations
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Improving the reliability and practicality of an AI-based tool for data validation and correction

Water companies are increasingly using sensor data for advanced process monitoring and control for key variables. They are therefore increasingly reliant on high-quality data. In this project, the…

Read more about Improving the reliability and practicality of an AI-based tool for data validation and correction
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Reduction of pressure on groundwater through reuse of water from dairy plants in agriculture

Groundwater in the Netherlands is under pressure, both in terms of quantity and quality. Groundwater is used in several activities, including drinking water production, agriculture and industry. In…

Read more about Reduction of pressure on groundwater through reuse of water from dairy plants in agriculture
Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Digital water – building a conceptual cost-benefit framework based on the experiences of frontrunners

Several water companies at home and abroad have taken far-reaching steps in digitising their operations. In this project, we deepen our understanding of the drivers of frontrunners for…

Read more about Digital water – building a conceptual cost-benefit framework based on the experiences of frontrunners
Biological activity
Evaluation of Aeromonas legal standard

Since the 1980s Aeromonas in drinking water has been included as a microbiological parameter in the Dutch Drinking Water Decree. Currently, Aeromonas standard exceedances are generally tolerated, partly because it is unclear…

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Sustainability
Climate change and resilience
Biomonitoring of atmospheric nitrogen deposition with mosses

It was expected that the emission of nitrogen during the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdowns would diminish because of the sharp reduction in human activities. This would apply…

Read more about Biomonitoring of atmospheric nitrogen deposition with mosses
Society
Valorisation
Automatic water-quality control for good recirculation water in greenhouse horticulture

Greenhouse horticulture irrigation water, when recirculated, acquires a complex composition. The impact this has on crops is for the most part unknown. The possibility of determining whether the…

Read more about Automatic water-quality control for good recirculation water in greenhouse horticulture
Biological activity
Biological stability parameters in operational practice

New methods for determining and predicting biological stability developed since 2010 are applied less often in daily drinking water practice than are the previously existing older methods. This,…

Read more about Biological stability parameters in operational practice
Health
Microbial safety
Fast alternative for the heterotrophic plate count at 22°C (HPC22) following interventions in the drinking water distribution system

This project will determine which method is suitable for the detection of anomalies in the microbial water quality following maintenance activities or pipe breaks in the drinking water…

Read more about Fast alternative for the heterotrophic plate count at 22°C (HPC22) following interventions in the drinking water distribution system
Looking ahead
Futures studies and response strategies
PUSH-IT: demonstration and development of seasonal underground heat storage systems

The EU aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. Large-scale seasonal underground heat storage has an important part to play in meeting this objective, because heating and cooling…

Read more about PUSH-IT: demonstration and development of seasonal underground heat storage systems
Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Solar panels on water reservoirs

Drinking water reservoirs have a large water surface. The installation of floating solar panels on reservoirs can be an effective strategy to generate energy. However, the question is, if and what impacts do solar panels have on…

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Sustainability
Sustainable energy
Power-to-X Province of Utrecht

The Dutch energy system has to be clean and future-resilient in the future, but also reliable and affordable. The local production of renewable solar or wind energy plays a crucial role in this transition. The Power-to-X approach…

Read more about Power-to-X Province of Utrecht
Health
Emerging contaminants
Water Quality Knowledge Impulse

Over the past four years, work in the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse has focused on learning more about the quality of groundwater and surface water, and the factors that affect that quality. The aim of the Water…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
PARC: European partnership for the assessment of risks from chemicals

The EU-wide research and innovation programme PARC was established in order to improve the risk assessment and sustainability of chemicals. The PARC project will strengthen the scientific basis…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Chances for Concentrate

In this project, we are investigating how the circular processing of concentrated residual streams can contribute to future-resilient and socially responsible freshwater supplies. This involves recovering water and producing raw materials for which there is a market.…

Read more about Chances for Concentrate
Health
Emerging contaminants
Implementation of screening and NTS methods in practice

Drinking water laboratories have recently expressed a need for the further integration of screening methods, including non-target screening (NTS), in the methods used to monitor water quality. Technological…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Environmental forensics: pollution signatures

The presence of anthropogenic substances in the drinking water chain poses challenges for the water sector, and specifically for drinking water companies. That presence is undesirable, and sometimes even problematic. Although treatment…

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Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Big data – analysis and integration of chemical and toxicological data

Monitoring the water quality of drinking water is challenging due to the presence of complex mixtures of mostly unknown substances that vary in concentration and composition. Over the…

Read more about Big data – analysis and integration of chemical and toxicological data
Sustainability
Climate change and resilience
Effect-based monitoring of water quality in the circular economy

Freshwater from groundwater or surface water sources is becoming scarce in dry periods, driving a rise in interest in the use/re-use of rainwater and treated domestic and industrial…

Read more about Effect-based monitoring of water quality in the circular economy
Health
Emerging contaminants
Drugs production waste in groundwater: field research and action perspectives

Little is still known about the impact of the long-term or extensive discharge of chemical waste from the production of synthetic drugs (SYNDRU) on groundwater quality and therefore…

Read more about Drugs production waste in groundwater: field research and action perspectives
Health
Emerging contaminants
Toxicology on Target

The domain of toxicological risk assessment is constantly evolving and it is essential to follow these developments closely. It has been noted that an adequate response to water quality issues requires the ongoing development of knowledge and…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Microplastics in water treatment

Plastics are a ubiquitous part of everyday life and they are found in fresh water throughout the Netherlands. In this project, we describe the nature and levels of microplastics (20 - 500 µm) at different stages of…

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Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Text mining for the early detection of relevant water pollutants

Long before substances are included in regulations and monitoring programmes, text sources such as reports, social media, press releases, regulatory agency websites or the scientific literature can provide…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Are PMOCs less toxic?

Persistent mobile organic compounds (PMOC) accumulate in the water cycle and are hardly removed during water treatment. For a long time, these substances have been under-researched but recent studies show that they are present in worrying concentrations.…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Nanoplastics in drinking water

It is becoming increasingly clear that plastic is everywhere. That has been demonstrated in numerous environmental compartments, including soil, sediment, surface water and air. Data about the presence of microplastic particles in surface water are sparse, and…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Water-soluble polymers – Eyes and ears for Chemical Safety 2019-2020

Water-soluble polymers are often neglected because they are not covered by the definition of microplastics and are not visible. As a result, very little is still known about…

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Biological activity
VO Eyes and ears for Chemical Safety 2019-2020 (LDIR and biofilm)

The regrowth and biofilm formation of micro-organisms on pipe material and membranes lead to problems in drinking water systems. To combat biofilm formation, a knowledge of the dynamics…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Clearer picture of the formation of transformation products during drinking water treatment thanks to integrated strategies

During drinking water production, biotic and antibiotic processes can form transformation products (TP) from organic micropollutants (OMP). How these substances behave in water treatment and how toxic they…

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Enabling technologies
New materials and technologies
Improved prioritisation and fragmentation improve the identification of unknown substances with non-target screening

Non-target screening (NTS) is based on the combination of liquid chromatography in conjunction with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). In addition, tailored data analysis, with target and suspect screening,…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Contribution to Toxicology Knowledge Impulse

We are making and using more and more substances in larger and larger quantities. Analyses by collaborating European ecologists and ecotoxicologists have shown that exposure to mixtures of chemicals is a limiting…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Survey of drug waste emission pathways and relevance for the drinking water sector

The Netherlands has a thriving illegal industry for the production of synthetic drugs such as amphetamine (speed), MDMA (XTC) and “designer drugs”. It releases all kinds of waste…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Integration of non-target screening, statistical analyses and bioassays for the global assessment of chemical water quality

Thanks to developments in screening methods based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), the detection of chemicals in water now not only allows for the detection of specific substances…

Read more about Integration of non-target screening, statistical analyses and bioassays for the global assessment of chemical water quality
Health
Emerging contaminants
Highly polar compounds I

An understanding of the presence of highly polar compounds in sources of drinking water is important because these substances can threaten drinking water supplies. This is because highly polar compounds can spread well in water and soil,…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
New chemical analysis methods

The world around us is changing rapidly and new techniques emerge regularly. The ongoing assessment of detection technologies (instrumental and otherwise) makes it possible to identify their possible value for the water sector in good time. BTO…

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Biological activity
Trigger value data gaps I and II

There are a lot of advantages to testing water quality with in vitro bioassays but this technique can only be properly applied if the bioassay responses can be compared with ‘effect-based trigger values’ (EBT). This study determines…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Exploration of sources, behaviour and risk of new substances

At present, the count for substances with a CAS number stands at over 194 million. New substances are being registered, produced and applied at a rapid pace. The…

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Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Digital twins for the water sector

'Digital twins' is the buzzword of recent years in many industries, including the water industry. The term is used to indicate digital representations (copies in some way) of physical systems. In some…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Effects of interventions in the distribution network on the existing microorganisms: DNA techniques offer clarity

Earlier research by Evides Waterbedrijf revealed that the number and composition of microbial populations can change during the distribution process of drinking water. This 2018 research was undertaken…

Read more about Effects of interventions in the distribution network on the existing microorganisms: DNA techniques offer clarity
Health
Emerging contaminants
Computer models for water quality assessment

Around the world, the number of different contaminants that are found in water is increasing. With new, emerging substances and substances that may be produced in the environment or during water treatment…

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Biological activity
Risk of opportunistic pathogens in drinking water

The water utilities have indicated that research into opportunistic pathogens in drinking water has a high priority. This is because these pathogens could represent a potential health risk. This project’s priority is…

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Enabling technologies
Hydroinformatics
Digital twin for treatment process

A digital twin provides water utilities with a firm foundation for the transition towards a (more) data-driven organisation, with prospects of optimisation, better insight or more effective management. Many organisations want to…

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Biological activity
Exploratory Research: Water Quality Footprint

The water sector is today actively working on CO2 emission reduction (and climate neutrality). Up until now, the possibility of including water quality improvement in environmental impact methodologies has however been very…

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All projects ()

Collaboration

EU Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)

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Water in the Circular Economy (WiCE)

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World Health Organization (WHO)

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Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC)

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Water Europe

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Aqua Research Collaboration (ARC)

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Universities

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Allied Waters

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Watershare

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TKI Water Technology

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European research

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Waterwijs

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Dune water company joint research (DPWE)

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All collaborations ()

Subjects

Reuse

What we used to see as a waste stream, we now consider a residual stream…

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Reducing emissions or negative impact

An ideal circular system has no emissions and no negative impact on our living environment…

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Circular systems

In a circular economy, materials, energy and water are recycled and reused. The realisation of…

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Biological activity

Growth of microorganisms in (drinking) water can present risks to public health and lead to…

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Health

Emerging contaminants

Emerging contaminants are a possible threat to the public health and environment. KWR develops smarter,…

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Health

Microbial safety

Water safety is vital. Citizens must be able to drink and swim in safe water,…

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Health

Safe innovation and the water sector

Technological innovations can involve risks to (drinking) water and public health. Greater public awareness, and…

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Sustainability

Sustainable use of freshwater resources

Access to sufficient and clean freshwater is not a given. Globally, the water sector is…

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Sustainability

Climate change and resilience

The water sector needs practice-oriented research to help it confront the wide-ranging consequences of climate…

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Sustainability

Sustainable energy

There is a worldwide drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift to cleaner, more…

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Sustainability

Sustainable resources

The circular economy is the alternative to the current – essentially linear – economy. While…

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Society

Stakeholder involvement and governance

Stakeholder engagement is an effective means of connecting technical and social-governance issues. KWR has a…

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Society

Citizen science and public participation

Increased citizen engagement is confronting the water sector with steadily growing demands. A connection needs…

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Society

Valorisation

Given the urgency of current water challenges, public authorities, utilities and industry feel a strong…

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Looking ahead

Futures studies and response strategies

Futures research improves the resilience of the water sector by supporting anticipatory governance and by…

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Enabling technologies

Hydrogenomics

Genomic techniques are developing at a very rapid pace in health, life, forensic and environmental…

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Enabling technologies

Hydroinformatics

Hydroinformatics is the application of information technology in its broadest sense on water-cycle related issues,…

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Enabling technologies

Innovative water treatment technologies

Drinking water treatment is subject to many demands and, today, the challenges it faces are…

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Enabling technologies

Future-proof networks

Even if the Netherlands has a superbly functioning drinking water network, parts of it are…

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Enabling technologies

New materials and technologies

Detecting and removing emerging contaminants calls for advanced materials and technologies. KWR develops knowledge about…

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All subjects ()

Tools

ESTAR

Read more about ESTAR
HomeWaterLab

Read more about HomeWaterLab
TUBES

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REWAB

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AquaPriori

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EDWARD

Read more about EDWARD
HydroMonitor 1.0

Read more about HydroMonitor 1.0
Governance Capacity Analysis

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Contamination Source Toolkit

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WaterVision Nature

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Comsima

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Gondwana

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USTORE

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SIMDEUM

Read more about SIMDEUM
Self-Cleaning Networks

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Network Flow Performance

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Mains Investment Planning

Read more about Mains Investment Planning
Water-Use Info

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OptiValves

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City Blueprint

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Clean Membrane

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All tools & products ()

News

Blog

Model-based decision-making under deep uncertainty

27 November 2024 — In this Hydroinformatics knowledge exchange, it was discussed what uncertainty means conceptually, from simple stochastic to deep uncertainty.…

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Blog

Insights on sustainable water management

20 November 2024 — The Netherlands and Tokyo face similar challenges in water management, such as ensuring water quality and integrating green…

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News

Marleen van Rijswick receives the KWR 2023 Honorary Fellowship for her dedication to the fundamental right to water

05 November 2024 — On 5 November, Marleen van Rijswick, professor of European and national water law at Utrecht University, received the…

Read more about Marleen van Rijswick receives the KWR 2023 Honorary Fellowship for her dedication to the fundamental right to water
Blog

A Week of Water Futures at KWR

31 October 2024 — On the 17th and 18th of October, the Water Futures team was brought together for the seventh time…

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News

Modelling distance between water pipe and heat network scientifically substantiated

24 October 2024 — Scientific publication substantiates linking water and soil temperature models for determining the distance between drinking water pipes and…

Read more about Modelling distance between water pipe and heat network scientifically substantiated
News

PathoCERT strengthens resilience against waterborne pathogens

23 October 2024 — The European PathoCERT project has successfully strengthened the capabilities of first responders to react quickly and effectively to…

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News

DWSI celebrates fifteenth anniversary with inspiring think-tank session

22 October 2024 — Dutch Water Sector Intelligence (DWSI) is the learning alliance promoting futures research in the Dutch water sector. It…

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Blog

Faecal bacteria in drinking water

18 October 2024 — People in the regions of Apeldoorn and Horst aan de Maas, as well as a part of Venray…

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News

Hydrogen-powered van for zero-emission transport in practice

11 October 2024 — KWR recently purchased a hydrogen-powered van. This investment fits in well with KWR’s ambitions to make its operations…

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News

Peer Review: compliments on the scientific quality of KWR research

07 October 2024 — A prominent Peer Review Committee recently evaluated the KWR Water Research Institute for 2018-2022. The committee assessed the…

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News

King Willem-Alexander opens green hydrogen production station Hysolar

04 October 2024 — In the presence of King Willem-Alexander, the initiators of Hysolar celebrated the successful completion of a project spanning…

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Blog

Persistent and mobile – KWR joins ZeroPM’s workshop in Dessau, Germany

03 October 2024 — KWR participated in the ZeroPM consortium’s 2nd workshop on September 19-20, 2024, in Dessau-Roßlau, Germany. The event was…

Read more about Persistent and mobile – KWR joins ZeroPM’s workshop in Dessau, Germany
Blog

Kicking Off IDEATION: Building the Future of Digital Twin Inland Waters

02 October 2024 — The IDEATION project, launched in June 2024, will develop a roadmap for the European Commission - including a…

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News

Green energy for all: how hydrogen and electricity carry our future

02 October 2024 — The book Green energy for all: how hydrogen and electricity shape our future is available for free download…

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News

Transformative orientation: new tool in the box for stakeholder management

27 September 2024 — Recent research has demonstrated that stakeholder management is evolving at drinking water utilities, with transformative approaches as a…

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News

Waterwijs brings the values of water to life

24 September 2024 — The Joint Research Programme of KWR and the water utilities has been given a new name in Dutch:…

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News

B-WaterSmart: A Journey Towards Water-Smart Solutions

24 September 2024 — The European research project B-WaterSmart has officially concluded after four years of dedicated work aimed at promoting water-smart…

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News

King opens green hydrogen production station at KWR’s site

17 September 2024 — On 4 October 2024, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander will officially open the new Hysolar green hydrogen production station.…

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Publications

All publications

Agenda

11 -13

Jun

Waterwijsweek 2025

We will be organising the Waterwijsweek 2025 in June next year. This will be a week packed with…

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17

Jun

Public Design for Water Conference

Design power for the water transition Water is essential for humans and nature, and it is intimately related…

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