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Surface water

Projects

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…

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Health
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…

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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
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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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
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
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
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…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Improved water quality through advanced oxidation and dune infiltration

The Dunea drinking water utility uses surface water to produce drinking water by means of dune filtration. In the decades ahead, the quality of the river water that…

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Health
Safe innovation and the water sector
Polishing pellets

The production of drinking water results in sludge with a high level of iron oxide/iron hydroxide. That sludge can be used as an adsorbent for, among other things, phosphate and arsenic. The drawback is that the sludge…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Adsorptive and biological removal of plant protection products

The horticultural sector is faced with a major challenge: it is obligated to remove at least 95% of the plant protection products from its discharge water. A solution…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Seasonal influences of surface water on fouling potential in UF

The link between seasonal changes in the quality of surface waters and the operation of a membrane plant (especially ultrafiltration) regularly causes problems in practice. With a new…

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Health
Biological activity
PFAS: A Threat for the Dutch Drinking Water Cycle?

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a broad group of anthropogenic organic substances which have been extensively used since the 1940s. Due to their persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity, PFAS are a threat…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Micro- and ultrafiltration in surface water treatment

Surface water utilities in the Netherlands often directly intake river water, which has sometimes passed through a reserve or reservoir. This water needs to be treated in a…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Iron removal for the removal of organic microcontamination

Iron hydroxides are produced at various places during the production of drinking water. That results in the formation and breakdown of reactive oxygen compounds. There are indications that…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Cocktail of Substances (RIWA-Meuse)

RIWA Maas collects large amounts of water quality data at a number of locations, both in the Netherlands and upstream, which is summarized in annual reports. These reports show that substances exceed…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Microplastics in water

To acquire more understanding of microplastics and even smaller particles, KWR is currently conducting research involving the measurement of the smallest possible particles present in surface water and drinking water, among others. WHO recently published a report…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Nutrients: which agricultural measures make sense?

This project is part of the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse. Agriculture plays a major part in the nutrient loading in our waters. In this project we are studying the effects of measures…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Toxicity: effect-directed water-quality measurement

This project is part of the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse. More than 140,000 chemical compounds are produced, used and traded in Europe. And a portion of them end…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
DNA fingerprinting in surface- and wastewater management

Situations arise in surface- and wastewater management in which it is often important to be able to determine the origin of the water and of the potentially problematic…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Storage of Water : The Stippelberg

Addressing water shortage in high sandy ground regions In high sandy ground regions there is frequently a phase difference between water supply and demand. During the winter period there is a water…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Salinisation and freshwater: Ovezande

In the Southwest Netherlands Delta the availability of fresh water cannot be taken for granted. Fresh groundwater, or fresh water supplied from the Lake Volkerak-Zoom and/or the pipeline transporting river water, is…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Drugs of abuse

In 2017, for the seventh year in a row, a European study into drugs in sewer water was carried out to determine the geographic differences and time trends in drug use amongst citizens. The European Monitoring Centre…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Developments in water quality at surface water intake points for drinking water supply

Future developments in water quality at surface water intake points for drinking water supply constitute the key climate-change associated risk for the drinking water sector. This was a…

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Health
Biological activity
Oportunistic pathogenic microorganisms in drinking water

Because of the expected climate change, it is probable that in the future the earth’s warming will lead to a rise in the temperature of surface water, water…

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Health
Safe innovation and the water sector
Antibiotic resistance in surface water and water treatment

Over the past few decades the use of antibiotics by humans and for veterinary purposes has grown sharply. Doctors in the Netherlands exercise restraint in prescribing antibiotics, but…

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Health
Microbial safety
ANSWER

In response to the growing problem of water scarcity, the reuse of treated urban wastewater is considered to be the most suitable and reliable alternative for sustainable water management and agricultural development. In spite of the benefits…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Data mining in suspect screening data; searching for relevant new chemicals in different water types

Data from suspect screening analyses collected over the past few years contain a treasure of information. The data originate from samples of drinking water, groundwater, surface water and…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Ground passage in the adaptation of surface-water water companies due to population aging and climate change

According to predictions based on anticipated population aging and climate change, the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface water will significantly increase in the years ahead. Because of protracted…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Improving water quality prognosis at surface water intake points for drinking water supply

In an earlier project, ‘Developments in water quality at surface water intake points for drinking water supply’, prognoses were made for water quality under the impact of climate…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Circular water provision in horticulture: Water from the greenhouse Water treatment and reuse

Water supply is of crucial importance for greenhouse horticulture. An adequate supply of fresh (irrigation) water has to be available – during dry periods as well – and…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Multi-Source, Single-Stage, Full-Stream RO

The objective is a tested Multi-Source, Full-Stream RO concept, with minimal pre- and post-treatment (single stage), which uses flexible water sources and produces water of impeccable quality. The concept is researched in…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Innovative drinking water treatment

At its new drinking water plant in Andijk, PWN is applying self-developed innovations based on ion exchange (Suspended Ion Exchange, or SIX®) and ceramic membrane filtration (CeraMac®). Combined with existing UV technologies…

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Sustainability
Sustainable use of freshwater resources
Groundwater for crops

The ‘Groundwater for Crops’ TKI project is the basis of a decision-support system (DSS) that helps agriculturalists and water managers take anticipatory water management measures at the land-parcel and regional levels. Technology The DSS provides early warnings…

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Enabling technologies
Innovative water treatment technologies
Innovative treatment technologies – Application of AiRO technology

In the first instance the focus is on ‘Innovative Desalination Technologies’, in which Dutch innovations and knowledge are applied to increase the efficiency of surface water and/or seawater…

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Enabling technologies
Hydrogenomics
Identifying eDNA to understand aquatic biodiversity

Preserving biodiversity is high on the (political) agenda worldwide. The theme has been given quite high priority at both the European level (EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020) and…

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Enabling technologies
Future-proof networks
On-site sensoring & monitoring

Determining nutrient concentrations with electronic finger prints and an algorithm based on an artificial neural network. Technology Within TKI Water Technology’s Smart Water Systems theme, a method has been developed which processes…

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Sustainability
Sustainable resources
Application of granular ferric (hydr)oxide for arsenic and phosphorus removal

The production of drinking water generates iron sludge as a residual. The iron sludge contains ferric (hydr)oxides, which are able to adsorb substances such as arsenic and phosphorus.…

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Sustainability
Sustainable resources
Effluent reuse – MDR in the water cycle

In the ‘Effluent reuse – MDR in de waterketen’ (Effluent reuse – MDR in the water cycle) study the potential contribution of Modular Sustainable WWTP (MDR) to the optimisation of the water…

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Experts

Henk Krajenbrink PhD MSc
Scientific researcher
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Henk Krajenbrink PhD MSc

Scientific researcher

Henk Krajenbrink is a researcher in the Ecohydrology team. After graduating from Wageningen University with an MSc in Hydrology and Water Quality, Henk worked for various Dutch consultancies in the…

030-6069647

henk.krajenbrink@kwrwater.nl

06-15239215

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Michiel Hootsmans PhD MSc
Senior scientific researcher Project manager
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Michiel Hootsmans PhD MSc

Senior scientific researcher Project manager

Michiel Hootsmans is a senior researcher in aquatic ecology. In this position, he is in charge of the development, broadening and deepening of a new ecological research niche in the…

030-6069648

Michiel.Hootsmans@kwrwater.nl

06-22951843

view profile

News

News

Time is running out – WFD fact sheets for four important substance groups

21 July 2023 — KWR and Vewin are collaborating on fact sheets about urgent substance groups for drinking water sources. The deadline…

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Blog

Exploring the Frontiers of Environmental Science

07 June 2023 — Five researchers from the Chemical Water Quality & Health team visited the 2023 edition of the SETAC Europe…

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News

Fourth cycle of Robustness Research for surface water treatment underway

07 April 2022 — In 2022 and 2023 experiments are being carried out within what is now the fourth cycle of the…

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Blog

Pharmaceuticals in the water cycle

27 October 2021 — Pharmaceuticals can more and more be found in the water cycle. They may affect the aquatic environment and…

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News

RO with minimal pre-treatment offers financial scope for optimisation

17 June 2021 — Using reverse osmosis (RO) on (drinking) water sources can produce high quality water directly. In practice, however, RO…

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News

Do microplastics have an effect on our bodies?

07 June 2021 — Working with other research institutes and business, KWR is moving ahead with a three-year study of micro- and…

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News

‘New regulatory and legal framework for water reuse calls for an interdisciplinary approach’

05 January 2021 — In 2020 the European Union approved a legislative proposal on the requirements for water reuse in irrigation applications.…

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News

Water research opportunities in COVID year 2020

18 December 2020 — The global COVID pandemic posed enormous challenges for all sectors of society in 2020. The national and international…

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Blog

How to deal with ammonium in surface water?

18 April 2019 — At the annual ‘Emissie Symposium’, which took place on April 11, I organised a workshop on ammonium in…

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News

Water Quality Knowledge Impulse launched

05 April 2019 — The water quality in large parts of the country has clearly improved over the last few years, but…

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News

Dutch drinking water sources vulnerable to plant protection products

01 April 2019 — Ground- and surface-water sources in the Netherlands are vulnerable to contamination by old and new plant protection products…

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News

2018 figures on drugs in European cities’ wastewater

14 March 2019 — The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) today published the results of drug monitoring of…

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News

Water Quality Knowledge Impulse: room for acceleration

30 October 2018 — The participants in the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse are the national government, provinces, Water Authorities, water utilities, knowledge…

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Blog

Airborne dispersal of Cyanobacteria

01 February 2018 — Scientists from Michigan State University have investigated whether harmful algae and associated compounds can be present in aerosols.…

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Blog

New Dutch and EU strategies on plastic

24 January 2018 — This week the European-wide strategy on plastics was launched, as was the Dutch transition agenda for plastics. Both…

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Blog

Pharmaceuticals in wastewater conference

23 January 2018 — In the Meander Medical Center Amersfoort STOWA organized a conference about the presence of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. The…

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Blog

Kees Roest speaks at Fosfaatspagaat Symposium

22 November 2017 — On Sunday, 19 November the Fosfaatspagaat Symposium was held in the Metaal Kathedraal in Utrecht. The event was…

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News

GenX report: drinking water in the Netherlands is safe

22 November 2017 — RIVM and KWR have produced a report in response to the presence of GenX in drinking water…

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News

1000 measurements undertaken by citizen scientists provide a detailed picture of the water quality in Amsterdam

06 October 2017 — This summer the water quality in Amsterdam was measured for the first time by citizen scientists, without whom…

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News

WHO expert meeting: the role of water in spreading antimicrobial resistance

05 July 2017 — On 5 and 6 July, 30 experts from all over the world met at KWR to assist the…

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News

Software tool simulates removal of micropollutants from surface water

12 June 2017 — A new demo-software application simulates the efficiency with which two common treatment processes (reverse osmosis and activated carbon…

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News

Dutch groundwater reflects wide use of chemicals

30 May 2017 — A national inventory of deep and shallow groundwater, conducted by KWR on the basis of provincial measurement data,…

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News

Training students in Sustainable Development & Water Science and Management

09 December 2016 — The conclusion of the Transdisciplinary Case Study (TCS) Sustainable Development & Water Science and Management course of the…

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Water Sector

Rapid optical detection of enterococci in surface water possible

23 September 2016 — A rapid method for enterococci detection in surface water has been developed which could contribute to more efficient…

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Water Sector

Effective removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater

03 May 2016 — Wastewater contains more and more pharmaceuticals that are difficult to remove in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This issue…

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Water Sector

KWR places ‘water in the circular city’ centre-stage at the Aqua Trade Fair Netherlands

31 March 2016 — The circular city was the theme this year of KWR’s stand at the Aqua Trade Fair Netherlands. The…

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Water Sector

Monitoring fish populations, migration and water quality through environmental DNA

02 March 2016 — This spring research gets underway into an innovative manner, through ‘fish DNA’ in the water, of monitoring the…

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Article

KWR and water companies in the grip of pyrazole discharges for long spell

09 July 2015 — In the summer of 2015, Limburg Water Distribution Company (WML) detected a pollutant in the river Meuse, which…

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Article

Subsurface water storage without health risks

04 May 2015 — On 29 April 2015, Andreas Antoniou was awarded his doctorate from VU University Amsterdam for his research into…

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Article

Best H2O article 2014: pharmaceutical spreading via WWTPs

23 April 2015 — On 23 April 2015, at the Royal Dutch Water Network (KNW) spring conference in Utrecht, Lieke Coppens (KWR;…

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Subjects

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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Enabling technologies

Hydrogenomics

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

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Our expertises

Tools

Clean Membrane

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Collaboration

Dune water company joint research (DPWE)

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