Drinking water

Drinking water

Drinking water is our most important food item and our health is highly dependent on access to safe drinking water. The large intake, the lifelong consumption, and the fact that we consume drinking water from the same source during long periods in life, leads us to the conclusion that even low levels of chemical pollutants in drinking water could pose a risk to human health. For example, certain contaminants can cause endocrine disruption or even DNA damage.

Our effect-based methods can be used to ensure that drinking water is not contaminated with hazardous chemicals. The methods can also be used to investigate the removal efficiency of chemical contaminants during drinking water production, or if hazardous by-products are formed during drinking water disinfection. Our effect-based methods have been used in studies at several of Sweden’s largest drinking water treatment plants. The new EU drinking water directive includes a requirement to establish a risk-based strategy from raw water to tap, to ensure high drinking water quality. Our effect-based methods are well suited to fulfil this strategy.