The monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater is a promising tool that complements other indicators of COVID-19 prevalence in a community. Research efforts in Canada and globally have accelerated to further develop this tool; a wide range of approaches and techniques have evolved. However, to make reliable comparisons of data within and between communities, the [...]
In 2018, CWN conducted a national expert panel review of contaminants in wastewater to empower decision makers to choose the most effective treatment investments, policies and practices. Later that year, CWN launched a Strategic Sharing Group with twelve utility decision makers from across Canada who were interested in exploring this issue in-depth. The group met [...]
The municipal water sector has seen a number of changes over the past five years. This snapshot presents highlights of a detailed 2019 water sector report completed for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund on current water management trends, issues and best practices. The information generated will be used to inform FCM's Green [...]
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 [...]
In October 2017, Canadian Water Network embarked on a national review of contaminants in municipal wastewater and Canada’s options to deal with them. A national expert panel was established to guide the process and experts were consulted across the country. The panel’s culminating report informs and empowers decision makers and stakeholders to choose the most [...]
Canadian Water Network convened an expert workshop to update Canada’s conceptual model of nutrient source and transport. The experts’ discussion, as well as the research cited, informed the insights that are presented in this white paper, which has been written to support those who make decisions about nutrient management actions.
Municipal utilities spend considerable time, energy and chemicals to remove phosphorous and nitrogen compounds like ammonia and ammonium from municipal wastewaters. Removing these nutrients is expensive and often not commercially feasible; however, even in low concentrations phosphorous and nitrogen can degrade water quality. This 2013-2015 project created an effluent of specific, elevated, concentrated feedstock amenable [...]
The processing of fruit and vegetables requires high volumes of potable water and standards for wastewater being released into the municipal system have become more stringent. Little is known about the physical and chemical characteristics of wastewater derived from different processing operations, and subsequently which technologies are most effective for each crop type.
Fecal contamination of water is currently assessed by culturing fecal indicator bacterial such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), because indicator organisms are simpler to detect than pathogens. However, these methods do not provide information about source contamination or the presence of microbial pathogens. The goal of this project was to narrow the gap in the [...]
Wastewater management in Canada’s Far North is challenging for many reasons: extreme cold climate, permafrost, short summers, remote locations, smaller populations and a shortage of skilled operators. Because of this, many communities use passive technologies like waste stabilization ponds — exclusively, or in combination with a wetland treatment area. This research examines existing treatment performance [...]