Roadmap Drinking Water Distribution: an inventory of the challenges of the Dutch Water companies and research needs towards a future proof water supply

Abstract

[EN] New developments bring challenges for the water sector. While the world quickly changes, the distribution network is relatively inert and can only slowly change. The drinking water companies in the Netherlands perform a joined research program (BTO, BedrijfsTak Onderzoek) to the impact of rapid world changes to the drinking water supply and prepare measures to cope with this. In 2020 broad expert panels of all drinking water utilities participating in the BTO discussed their expected and desired future developments, ultimately leading to a new roadmap for distribution research for the period till 2050. This roadmap is the backbone for the new research period for the BTO and simultaneously serves as a reflection on the present research program. The most important societal challenges in which Dutch drinking water companies want to invest are found in in (a) cooperation in the underground, (b) customer satisfaction, (c) water quantity and quality and (d) future-proofing of the distribution network. For the research program this indicates that knowledge needs to be expanded in three directions: (1) water quality and temperature of the drinking water in the distribution network, (2) justified decisions on maintenance and replacements and (3) transition toward strategic network design.