What's the status of bacteria in Utrecht's drinking water? Many employees have been asked to work from home.

Several companies in Utrecht have asked their employees to work from home today following the discovery of bacteria in the city's drinking water. On Saturday morning, water company Vitens reported that the bacteria had been found in the water. Supermarkets experienced a significant run on bottled water.

Since then, a boil-water advisory has been in effect for people in Utrecht, Bilthoven, Bosch en Duin, De Bilt, Bunnik, Groenekan, Maarssen, Oud-Zuilen, Tienhoven, Westbroek, and Zeist (125,000 connections). The advisory to boil water for three minutes before use in the Utrecht region remains in effect until at least tomorrow. Vitens collected twenty water samples from the area on Saturday and cultured them. It should be clear tomorrow whether the enterococci bacteria have been found.

Both Rabobank and ASR have advised their employees to work from home since it was discovered that the bacteria could be present in drinking water. Spokespeople for the financial institutions confirmed this. Rabobank's offices in Utrecht are open, and employees can work there if necessary. Events will proceed with modified catering.

A similar request has been made to employees at ASR's head office. If the insurer's staff do wish to come to the office, they should bring their own drinks, according to a spokesperson. Certain events, such as job interviews, can proceed as usual, and bottled water is available. The company restaurant is also open.

ASN Bank and NS (Dutch Railways), which also have their headquarters in Utrecht, have not explicitly advised employees to work from home. However, they have warned about drinking water and the bacteria.

Want to know if bottled water is completely pure? Metro wrote about this before .

Boiling advice for parts of #Utrecht and the surrounding area. A bacteria has been found during a drinking water test. Therefore, we recommend boiling water for 3 minutes before drinking or consuming it. https://t.co/0ZUfk61bfF @GemeenteUtrecht @gemeentebunnik @gemeentedebilt pic.twitter.com/znvxJuTG8f

— Vitens (@Vitens) November 1, 2025

Thanks to a temporary solution, children and their parents at the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht can once again safely drink tap water. The hospital has a water bag, from which clean drinking water is pumped into the building. This will remain in place today and tomorrow, according to the hospital, which treats children with cancer .

The hospital does state that the drinking water supply is limited. People are therefore asked to use it sparingly, including when showering. Appointments and treatments are continuing.

Students, lecturers, and other staff at Utrecht University are temporarily unable to use the coffee machines. These have been closed in all buildings following the discovery of the bacteria in the city's drinking water. Lectures and exams will continue.

The university is asking people not to use kettles or drink tap water. They should also bring enough boiled water with them. People are also advised to bring food, "as it's unclear whether the canteens will be open."

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