Clean and microbiologically safe fountains, wading pools and other water in the living environment. That is the aim of the Water Quality Check of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). This one is orecently became available for municipalities, citizens’ initiatives or others involved with the construction of water in a city or village.
Ciska Sketch is a microbiologist at RIVM and project leader of various water projects. This also includes man-made water in the city, such as fountains, wading pools or cheaters. “The idea for the Water Quality Check came up a few years ago, when we increasingly received questions from municipalities or designers of water concepts. For example, we helped the municipality of The Hague with the Zuiderpret water playground. There, the Water Quality Check revealed that contaminated water was actually always being pumped around. The water inlet there has been adapted so that fresh surface water is now always used.”
Water in the city is very important. It is one of the ways to adapt the living environment to climate change. If there is a lot of rain, it can be collected and thus prevent flooding. Water can also provide cooling. Especially in cities it is good against heat stress. “It is therefore very positive to have water in a city or village,” says Ciska Sketch. “But also think about the quality of that water.”
Fill in the questionnaire with all parties together
The Water Quality Check consists of a questionnaire and a calculation module. “The questionnaire immediately comes with advice when you answer the questions. It is also possible to make a final report. With that report in hand, you can then continue, for example to take measures or to start a conversation about adjustments.”
The purpose of the questionnaire is also to bring all parties involved together. The water board may know the answer to questions that a municipality cannot answer. Or the designer of the water feature in the city.
The calculation module is more about technical data. You can use this to calculate the infection risk for various pathogens that may be present in the water. Standard values for dose and exposure are included in the calculation model, derived from scientific literature. “But users of the Water Quality Check can also enter their own data and calculate accordingly,” says Sketch.
Gastrointestinal complaints
If you just build a wading pool or fountain, what could be wrong? Ciska Sketch: “The water can contain bacteria or viruses, which cause gastrointestinal complaints, for example. Whether you get symptoms depends on the amount of water you ingest. But of course you want to reduce the chance of getting an infection through the water in advance.”
To fill a bath or fountain, one designer uses tap water, the other uses surface water. Water treatment is often required, such as UV lamps or disinfection with chlorine. “Many of those water features in the city were not built with the intention of going into them at all. They are often only intended for water collection, cooling or experience. But people and especially children do go into that water. So keep that in mind when designing.”
Ciska Sketch and her project team hope to expand the Water Quality Check in the future for even more types of water concepts, but also for chemical substances, for example. Even now, the Water Quality Check is highly recommended. For whom? “For anyone who wants to do something with water in their living environment. From citizens’ initiatives and the municipality to water boards and the designers of the water features.”
The Water Quality Check was established as part of the RIVM Strategic Programme. This is the RIVM program for its own research, innovation and knowledge development. RIVM is looking ahead with topics that deserve extra attention because they could affect our public health and living environment in the future.
More information
Text: Mirjam Kroeze, Atlas Living Environment
Photo’s: Sue Rickhuss, Pixabay; RIVM