The impacts of extreme weather events are a major challenge for Canada’s people, environment and economy, and flooding has caused significant damage over the past two decades. For all sectors, responding to this challenge requires that we develop effective approaches to manage the risks involved by better identifying, understanding and responding to them. An opportunity [...]
Canadian Water Network's pilot strategic sharing group for members of the Canadian Municipal Water Consortium’s leadership group focused on managing risks from contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater discharge. The meeting topics were directed by the group’s interests and needs, and included discussion on contaminant status, sampling and monitoring strategies, regulatory needs, risk management policies [...]
Canada’s rapidly evolving situation during the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged business-as-usual for water and wastewater utilities, requiring modifications to staffing and operations and the prioritization of activities, including ongoing maintenance and construction projects. Since March 20, 2020, Canadian Water Network has facilitated weekly discussions with decision makers from up to 30 large and mid-sized water [...]
The municipal water sector has seen a number of changes over the past five years. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities asked Canadian Water Network to: report on current water management trends, issues and best practices within the sector; analyze the drivers and needs of the sector; and identify opportunities for innovation. This information will be [...]
Harmful and nuisance algal blooms are a recurring issue for municipalities across Canada, and their severity, frequency and distribution are increasing. Human activities such as urbanization and agriculture, as well as changes in climate like warmer water temperatures and more intense rainfall are contributing to algae proliferation. In 2019, Canadian Water Network hosted a two-part [...]
PSD, Canadian Water Network, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association have partnered on a project that highlights five Canadian utilities (EPCOR/Edmonton, Kenora, Moncton, Saskatoon and Union Water Supply System) that are collecting and utilizing data to support infrastructure vulnerability assessment and increase resilience to climate change. These case studies [...]
In 2013, Canadian Water Network and the Water Environment Research Foundation convened an expert workshop to compile and prioritize a suite of elements that would be effective in assessing endocrine system impacts on fish as a direct result of exposure to contaminants in municipal wastewaters. CWN subsequently funded three studies in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec [...]
Municipal per capita water use is decreasing across Canada due to the rising use of water-efficient fixtures, updated plumbing and building codes, and an increasing trend in water metering. Water conservation results in a number of benefits, but also impacts the operations of municipal drinking water and wastewater systems. Canadian Water Network hosted a two-part [...]
Canadian Water Network, in partnership with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, evaluated how higher-resolution topographical and municipal flood-defence data impacts flood risk evaluation. Data from Natural Resources Canada and five Canadian municipalities was collected over 8 months to test whether pluvial hazard maps derived from large-scale risk models would change, and the degree to which [...]
Ingesting lead, even at very low concentrations, can cause adverse health effects, particularly for children. Canadian Water Network is undertaking a national project to inform decision-making and practice on lead management in drinking water in municipalities across Canada.