Testing & Pollution

PFAS in tap water

Water all over the world is contaminated with forever chemicals. PFAS have even been found in rainwater and the arctic ice, so it’s no surprise that they’re also in your tap water. The problem? These chemicals are linked to cancer and heart disease, and yet legislation to meaningfully control their production is a long way […]

How Toxic Pipe Residues End up in our Drinking Water

New techniques and industrial advances mean that over the years different materials have been used to transport our drinking water from A to B. However, some of these materials have turned out to be less reliable than previously thought, causing toxic residues to leach into the water. Despite this, a large part of these pipelines […]

Chromium-6: A Hidden Danger in our Drinking Water

It is known as the ‘new asbestos’ and is increasingly in the news: chromium-6, a toxic metal that is dangerous to health, is present in our drinking water. “Chromium-6 may be present in our water pipe network,” says René Nuij, operational safety expert at Waternet. The fact that chromium-6 is harmful to health became apparent […]

Is bottled water really better than tap water?

Tap water in the Netherlands is one of the best in the world. Regardless of this, we drink 400 million liters of bottled water each year. Bottled water is more expensive, comes from the same sources as tap water, and has to meet fewer quality requirements. So why are we choosing it over what flows […]

How Citizens Stopped Drinking Water Fluoridation in the Netherlands

Our drinking water naturally contains small amounts of fluoride. In the middle of the last century, municipalities added extra fluoride to the water to protect teeth. Rebellious citizens managed to put a stop to this measure. It is the late 1960s. Dentist Cappieri is on the phone to his assistant. “Can one of the ladies […]

How groundwater is purified into drinking water

To purify ground water and make it safe to drink, it is put through a long and technical cleaning process. This process is necessary because drinking water sources are becoming increasingly contaminated with man-made pollutants. Unfortunately, despite these efforts some toxic substances are still found in our tap water. Water companies in the Netherlands extract […]

How reliable are drinking water quality tests?

According to reports by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), drinking water companies and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) , tap water in the Netherlands is high quality. But what tests do they use, and how reliable are they? PFAS – A problem in our tap water Do you […]

Copper pipe residues linked to health and environmental problems

From the construction of the very first water network, engineers have searched for the best  pipe material. Over time, it appears that all materials end up leaching into the water, and this can have consequences for our health, and the environment’s. These days, around 90% of our house water pipes and connections are made of […]

The 14 Steps of Surface Water Treatment: How does it work?

Before water flows out of the tap, it goes through a complex purification process. This is vital, because water sources are increasingly polluted with health-harming chemicals. But is it enough? According to the research, some toxic substances are still present in our tap water. Water companies in the Netherlands extract around 12.5 million cubic meters […]

Drinking Water Sources: Quality Under Pressure

According to several studies, the quality of our drinking water sources is at risk. These sources are becoming increasingly polluted by human activity. “Time is running out”, says Peter van der Velden, Chairman of the Association of Drinking Water Companies. In 1851, infectious diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera were rampant in the Netherlands. […]