The Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SIIDC) is the Swedish national reference center for microbial epidemiology and they have extensive experience and expertise in the area of microbial contamination, measurement, epidemiology and health risk assessment. The institute is in addition focused on preventive medical research. The Department of Water and Environmental Microbiology (headed by Professor Thor Axel Stenström) is together with the Epidemiological Department responsible for the follow-up of environmentally transmitted infectious diseases. Microbial analysis is performed for the major bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases.

Major research work is concentrated around Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), including Risk Management. The later part is further reflected in the national (and international) advisory role of the department. The “Stockholm Framework” for risk assessment is adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). Professor Stenström has been a part time co-worker at WHO for the last number of years. In this capacity the Department has been involved in the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water, but also for recreational water and recently for the safe use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater. The Department is also involved in national and international capacity building.

The Department has coordinated national research within the area within the large resent programme, Urban Water Management, and has been one of the major partners in the EU-funded project MICRORISK. Assessments of both, raw water quality and drinking water treatment, and distribution is looked at holistically. The department has also been involved in the EU project TOFPSW and is linked to the recent EU project TECHNEAU through Chalmers Technical University. Their main contribution will be to WP 8 and they will bring in the knowledge and expertise from MICRORISK.