news items
of the innovation and research agenda
New research projects
If we are to be able to properly respond to the latest developments – think drought or newly discovered pollutants – research into the theme of Purification remains crucial. In addition to current research projects, new ones are therefore...
Smart membrane filtration circuit yields three environmental benefits
Until now, the removal of unwanted salts from groundwater using reverse osmosis incurred a water loss of approximately twenty percent. By regularly reversing the direction of flow, however, this loss can be reduced to seven percent. This saves not...
Broad research programme designed to reveal secrets of sand filtration
Sand filtration has been a widely used treatment process in the drinking water sector for numerous decades. Yet we still have a limited understanding of the way sand filters actually operate. The NWO Sand Filtration research programme being...
Innovation is crucial for future-proof drinking water supply
Vitens needs to adapt its business operations to be able to continue supplying sufficient drinking water of good quality in the future. Rian Kloosterman, policy advisor on infrastructure strategy, and Doeke Schippers, leiding professional, are...
Stable water quality by means of data-driven purification
Since 2010, Vitens has been running the SLIMM innovation project, which stands for self-learning integrated model-based management. The objective of this project is to digitise and automate the treatment processes so that the quality of the...
Sustainable and efficient purification process thanks to innovative methane removal and deferrisation
Vitens extracts groundwater containing methane and iron at its Hammerflier production site. The removal of methane and iron by conventional means yields a ten percent backwashing loss, while the methane is released into the atmosphere. Thanks to...
New and scheduled projects
Since 2018, we have been carrying out projects as part of the Vitens Innovation & Research Agenda. The preceding pages describe various projects that are ongoing or have already been completed. In the interim, we have added several new projects...
More efficient and smarter operations thanks to new knowledge
The research carried out within the Distribution theme is yielding new technology and useful knowledge with practical applications. Hester Latenstein van Voorst, Network Management & Supply Manager, and theme ambassador Eelco Trietsch are...
Distribution network as the urban mine of the future
The availability of natural resources and materials is under pressure in many sectors. Deliveries of new cars have been delayed because chip manufacturers can no longer obtain raw materials, while building materials have recently risen in price due...
Vitens is constructing its own pressure simulation set-up to better train technicians
Rapid changes in volume flow cause pressure waves in the distribution network, which can in turn lead to burst pipes and leaks. The careful operation of valves and pumps is therefore essential in avoiding substantial pressure differences....
Smart DMA: to measure is to know!
In Leeuwarden’s Westeinde district, Vitens is investigating whether it can improve its operations and services by installing measuring equipment throughout the distribution network and smart water meters in customers’ households. Micha van Aken,...
A look ahead to Vitens’ innovative future
This issue of Vitens Innoveert highlights a number of projects that have been carried out within the context of the Safe & Healthy Drinking Water theme in recent years. They are not the be-all and end-all, however, as various other interesting...
“Non-target screening should enable us to detect countless new substances”
That is what hydrologist Martin de Jonge claims. The quality of Vitens’ groundwater wells is central to his work. His duties include devising monitoring strategies and analysing measurement data to identify trends. Martin has been coordinating the...
Prioritisation methods for identification of unknown substances
Non-target screening (NTS) potentially enables Vitens to detect thousands of unknown chemicals in water samples. It is impractical to identify all these substances, however. Vitens has therefore been carrying out joint research with Deltares and VU...
NGS highly promising in the detection of microorganisms
The timely detection of microbial contamination is an important aspect of Vitens’ duties. As part of the TRACER* project, the water company is therefore investigating whether the innovative analysis technique known as next-generation sequencing...
The application of innovative techniques is vital in responding adequately to future developments
This is the firm belief of both Monique Musch, Vitens’ Laboratory Manager, and Merijn Schriks, ambassador of the ‘Safe & Healthy Drinking Water’ research theme. Throughout the next few years, Vitens therefore intends to invest heavily in new...
Interesting publication in scientific journal Environmental Sciences Europe
The European Drinking Water Directive sets standards that must guarantee the quality of tap water, packaged water and water for food preparation. A list has been added to the directive with potentially hazardous substances for health, for which...
Vitens, Deltares and Ruimtevolk are doing research about flexible drinking water concepts
More flexible drinking water will soon become a necessity A future-proof drinking water supply requires new and more flexible extraction concepts. Changing conditions such as droughts, in combination with increasing demand for drinking water, have...