RIJSWIJK – Water and greenery in cities and villages have many positive effects on public health and the living environment. But water can also pose health risks. RIVM is therefore introducing an online Water Quality Check.
The online Water Quality Check is a new instrument to map the microbiological risks of new and existing water facilities in the built environment. This concerns, for example, fountains, wading pools or water playgrounds. The water quality check consists of a questionnaire and a calculation module. The instrument provides a better insight into the health risks of water in the city and at the same time provides advice on how to limit these risks.
Contaminated water can make you sick
Water and greenery in the urban environment invite recreation, relaxation, exercise and encounters and also provide water collection, cooling and shade. In this way they contribute to the adaptation of the living environment to climate change. But when there are certain viruses or bacteria in the water, people can get sick if they come into contact with the water. This usually concerns mild, but annoying complaints, such as swimmer’s itching, diarrhea or ear infections. These symptoms usually go away on their own.
Limiting health risks
Water pollution can be caused, for example, by dog feces, vermin, feces or pee from playing children, litter lying around, or because the water comes into contact with sewage water. It also regularly happens that birds are the cause of the contamination.
It is possible to prevent or limit health risks due to microbiological contamination of the water, for example by making (sometimes simple) practical adjustments to the design beforehand, or by taking measures during the construction or management of water in the city. The Water Quality Check helps with this. Sometimes simple solutions can make all the difference. For example, a fence or fence that stops geese can be a huge improvement.
The Water Quality Check is intended for everyone involved in the design, construction and management of these water supplies (also known as ‘water concepts’), such as designers, local authorities or local initiators, and public parties such as water boards, environmental services, provinces and GGDMunicipal health services.
The water quality check can be found at www.waterkwaliteitscheck.nl.
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