Emergencies

Networks for environmental incidents

Environmental incidents can also endanger the drinking water provision, or the safety of the drinking-, surface- or groundwater. We are members of different networks in which experts from various institutes work together to take stock of the situation, analyse the risks to public health, water quality and the aquatic environment, and make recommendations. These networks are the following:

• Crisis Expert Team Environment and Drinking Water (CET-md) (organised by the Departamental Crisis Coordination Centre (DCC) of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management)
• Crisis Expert Team Radiation (CET-s) (organised by the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, or ANVS)
• National Laboratory Network for Terrorism Incidents (LLN-ta)

In the event of a water emergency or a threat involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear agents (CBRM), the relevant authorities can call on one of these networks and enter into immediate contact with the participating institutes. We contribute our knowledge of water quality, water technology and health risks to these networks. We manage analytical methods for chemical and microbial contamination, and ensure rapid data processing.

Rapid analyses of (drinking) water

Water companies facing a (drinking) water emergency can call the ‘Water Telephone’ 24/7 to obtain prompt specialist advice from us. Our experts are immediately available to conduct chemical and microbiology analyses. Other companies and governments can also turn to us to carry out measurements and provide expertise in the event of environmental incidents or other crisis situations that pose a potential threat to (drinking) water safety.