Water is the basis of life. It is essential for nature, people, food production and economic development. The availability of sufficient clean water has become a societal issue all over the world. In our water-wise world research programme we work on the optimal organisation and management of the water cycle, with a circular economy as a key driver and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in mind. Research at KWR is guided by our scientific vision, which is embodied in five research programmes.
KWR generates knowledge to enable the water sector to operate water-wisely in our urbanised society. At KWR, we have a sense of professional and social responsibility for the quality of water. Our scientific findings and the resulting practical innovations contribute, worldwide, to a sustainable water provision in the urban water cycle.
‘Bridging Science to Practice’ is KWR’s motto. Our researchers work at the interface of science, business and society. Their strength lies in their translation of scientific knowledge into applicable, practical solutions for end-users in the Dutch and international water sector. We have built a solid reputation as top-level innovation accelerators and international network builders, and increasingly play a coordinating role in national and international collaborations.
Our global, European and national ambitions, which are further explained in our mission statement, have been translated into 5 KWR research programmes that make a concrete contribution to this:
To make this water-wise world possible, KWR wants to build bridges between science and practice at all these levels. This is the only way we can realise technical and social solutions. We consider water in the broad context of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. The Circular Economy is already leading in many of our research initiatives. KWR’s ambition is to be at the forefront of scientific solutions to global water issues, both nationally and internationally, through high-quality and excellent research.
The basis of the research at KWR is the Joint Research Programme (BTO) for the drinking water companies. The aim of the BTO is to carry out exploratory work in the above-mentioned themes and implement these in the individual water companies’ own practice and with added value for the collective sector. A subject from one of the themes can also be applied to one’s own practice to gain experience (launching customer).
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