Annual report Chair on Drinking Water Engineering 2007 - TU Delft

Introduction
The Dutch water companies maintain high technical standards as a result of which safe drinking water is supplied
at all times and at an acceptable price. Their so-called ‘Dutch secret’ includes the concept of producing
and distributing drinking water of a high quality. No chemical disinfectant is used during drinking water production,
which is possible because the multiple barrier treatment systems produce water that is biologically stable.
Moreover, the drinking water is soft, has a pleasant taste and colour and pipeline leakages are virtually zero. As
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However, this good drinking water quality is threatened by new emerging substances in the source waters, biological
growth (for example Legionella) in the distribution system and in-house installations and water quality
deterioration in the distribution system. These threats and solutions for these threats are covered in the research
themes “new technologies/innovative treatment” and “water quality in the distribution system”. Furthermore water
quality improvement is obtained in the theme “modelling and improved operation”. This theme aims to optimise
the treatment plant performance by an integrated modelling approach. A new research theme is “sustainable
drinking water solutions”. Research in this theme is focused on improving the drinking water quality in developing
countries.
Theme 1: Emerging threats and technologies
In recent years it has become clear that the pollution of
water sources has become so widespread that traces of
compounds such as endocrine disruptors, polar pesticides
and pharmaceuticals can even be found in Dutch drinking
water. Only a few of these emerging substances are
known and measured in our drinking water. To face these
new substances application of advanced water treatment
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have come to understand that also microbiological threats
still cannot be ignored, the most relevant being Legionalla
and Cryptosporidium. Fortunately, in recent years we have
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ozone/UV/H O . These technologies can be used both on the drinking water as well as on the waste water side
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and an integral approach has to be developed. Our research in this theme deals with the further development
of these technologies and in particular the determination of the practical feasibility including such aspects as
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and treatment combinations in removing these emerging substances is investigated. Also a modelling
approach will be developed to predict the removal of new emerging substances and to assess the plant
performance toward pathogens and organic micro pollutants.
Research projects
Production of outstanding drinking water Bas Heijman
Safe drinking water from the river Meuse Bram van der Veer
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12 <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>report</strong> DWE 2007