# KWR Water Research

the world's pioneering WBE R&D centre, which first detected SARS-CoV-2 in Amsterdam Schiphol airport sewage; its long-term study quantified the virus in 98.6% (273/277) of samples and resolved variants in 91.0% (161/177) of sequenced samples between February 2020 and September 2022.

Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/companies/kwr-water-research/
Updated: 2026-06-28

- Country: Netherlands

## Verifiable facts

| Fact | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Affiliation | 100%-owned subsidiary of KWH Water B.V., with Dutch water companies as shareholders | https://www.kwhwater.nl/en/over-kwh/de-aandeelhouders/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/organisation/ |
| Research focus | applied scientific research into the water cycle, water-based epidemiology, and circular economy | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/projecten/kwr-wastewater-surveillance-guidance-for-sars-cov-2/ |
| Facility | microbiological laboratory located in Nieuwegein, Netherlands | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/actueel/a-week-of-water-futures-at-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/actueel/what-can-we-learn-about-the-corona-virus-through-waste-water-research/ |
| Grant | 10M Euros European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant for the Water-Futures project (2021-2027) | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/actueel/a-week-of-water-futures-at-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/projecten/water-futures/ |
| Publications | includes peer-reviewed papers, public reports, theses, and articles in scientific journals and trade publications [medium confidence] | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/actueel/what-can-we-learn-about-the-corona-virus-through-waste-water-research/ |
| Principal staff | Mariëlle van der Zouwen (Managing Director), Gertjan Medema (Microbiologist), Ruud Bartholomeus (Chief Science Officer) | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/organisation/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/actueel/a-week-of-water-futures-at-kwr/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/jaarbeeld-2023/, https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/jaarbeeld-2024/ |
| Headcount | approximately 170 staff members | https://www.kwrwater.nl/en/about-kwr/organisation/ |

Independent sources: kwhwater.nl

## Technologies

- [Wastewater-based epidemiology](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/wastewater-based-epidemiology/)