The Netherlands faces a water crisis: too much water, shortage of water, agricultural fertilisers, and industrial pollution such as PFAS and medicine residues threaten our drinking water supply. Already, some new businesses are denied drinking water connections; soon, new residential areas may meet the same fate. In his inaugural lecture on Thursday 19 September, new professor Wiebe de Vos stresses the crucial importance of investing in water technology for a sustainable future.

Water quality in the Netherlands shows a remarkable contradiction: while our drinking water is among the best in the world, our surface water receives a very poor rating. ‘we often believe we are performing well, but the quality of our water in lakes, rivers and ditches turns out to be the worst in the whole of Europe,’ says De Vos.

Not only the quality but also the quantity of water poses a challenge. Extreme weather, partly caused by increasing climate change, already caused severe droughts in recent years. Then, drinking water companies in certain regions, such as Twente, Utrecht and parts of Brabant, have already frequently denied new companies access to drinking water because they could not guarantee sufficient clean water. ‘In the future, this could also affect new residential developments,’ warns De Vos. If nothing is done, nearly all of the Netherlands will be at risk of a drinking water shortage by 2030.

‘So it is not that far yet, but to prevent it we have to take action now,’ De Vos continues. Innovations from Twente can help ensure an adequate supply of clean water in the future. But this requires investments. As De Vos points out: ‘Only by investing in new water technology now can we continue to guarantee sufficient clean water in the future.’

De Vos' research group, Membrane Surface Science, developed new, innovative membranes in which a highly selective membrane is constructed layer by layer. These membranes can, for instance, remove medicine residues and PFAS extremely efficiently, while the membrane actually leaves the valuable minerals in the water. Even if it is not known exactly what pollutants are in the water - as recently became clear for the Maas - membranes are likely capable of filtering it.

This technique was so promising that it has already been advanced and commercialised by companies such as Pentair X-Flow and NX Filtration. These are local Twente companies that are among the global leaders when it comes to membranes for clean water. ‘Companies that the Netherlands should be proud of.’

This type of membrane technology can secure an adequate supply of drinking water in the Netherlands by, for example, purifying industrial wastewater and immediately reusing it. Using these membranes to purify water from wastewater treatment not only prevents surface water pollution but also provides an alternative source for water that is already so clean that it can be immediately reused. ‘By doing so, we significantly alleviate the strain on the drinking water system and also the groundwater,’ explains De Vos.

De Vos supports a forward-thinking approach and stresses the importance of innovation in the water sector. He states, ‘To prevent future water shortages, we need to invest in these pioneering technologies now. Only then can we continue to guarantee sufficient clean water in the future.’

Prof Dr Wiebe M. De Vos is a professor of membrane technology in the Department of Membrane Science & Technology (Faculty of S&T / MESA+ Institute). On Thursday 19 September, he will deliver his inaugural lecture ‘Assemble to Separate’. In this inaugural lecture, the new professor addresses the challenges of keeping sufficient clean water available in the future.