RIWA-Rijn is an association of Dutch drinking water companies that use water from the River Rhine for the production of drinking water. The association was established to protect and improve the quality of the Rhine, so that natural purification is sufficient to produce safe and high-quality drinking water.
The drinking water companies affiliated with RIWA-Rijn are:
Together, these companies provide drinking water for more than 5 million people in the Netherlands.
RIWA-Rijn collaborates with German, Swiss, Austrian, Liechtenstein and French colleagues in the IAWR (Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wasserwerke im Rheineinzugsgebiet). This umbrella organization, which was founded in 1970 by RIWA, ARW (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Rhein-Wasserwerke) and AWBR (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wasserwerke Bodensee-Rhein), covers the entire Rhine catchment area.
RIWA-Rijn publishes a comprehensive annual report on the water quality of the Rhine. This report analyzes measurement data and assesses the impact of pollutants on drinking water production. It also includes recommendations for policymakers and industries to improve water quality.
The most recent report highlights the presence of PFAS and other harmful substances, calling for stricter regulations and enhanced international cooperation to ensure the Rhine remains a clean and safe source for drinking water.
In September 2024, the Dutch drinking water companies united under RIWA-Rijn sent a letter to the German Minister for the Environment, Steffi Lemke, calling for limits on the discharge of PFAS compounds into the Rhine. These chemicals are harmful to human health and resistant to degradation. Their presence complicates the production of clean drinking water and increases the associated costs.
In the letter, RIWA-Rijn emphasized that Germany, together with the Netherlands and other countries, is one of the initiators of a proposed EU-wide PFAS ban. Until this ban comes into effect, RIWA-Rijn urges the establishment of emission limit values for PFAS discharges to safeguard the drinking water source for five million Dutch citizens.
In 2025, we paid particular attention to lithium because we anticipate that the amount of lithium in the Rhine could increase significantly if its extraction and processing in the Rhine basin increases significantly for battery production. To this end, RIWA-Rijn sent a letter to the European Commission requesting the establishment of an environmental limit value for lithium in Rhine water.
Drinking water in Europe must meet high standards. Therefore, it is essential to protect surface water preventively. Treatment technologies cannot remove all pollutants and may even create new chemical compounds. This is why we advocate for minimal unnatural substances in the river water.
Surface water includes rivers, all above-ground streams that flow into them (directly or indirectly), the border lakes, and Lake IJsselmeer.
Together with the International Association of Waterworks in the Rhine Basin (IAWR), we raise awareness among politicians, authorities, and policymakers in the water management and industrial sectors about the importance of a clean Rhine. We do this on behalf of our four members: Oasen, PWN, Vitens, and Waternet.