This project deals with clarifying a common framework and approach to management options, one that can be used by providers and regulators to approach management choices and underpin their commitment to the central task of maintaining a vigilant focus on the following: How best can drinking water providers and their regulators address risk and uncertainty [...]
Source water characterization is an important component in the multi-barrier protection of drinking water, and accurate data on pathogens is critical for treatment design, monitoring and risk assessment. This study determined pathogen loadings from the Grand River watershed and measured pathogen occurrence and concentrations in river water.
This research was conducted with the overall goal of improving membrane performance for drinking water treatment in Canadian utilities and focused on two main themes:
fouling abatement strategies (identifying and targeting specific fractions of organic matter present in surface waters that cause fouling of membranes) and integrating membranes with established yet complementary technologies prior to [...]
Canadian Water Network's Canadian Municipal Water Consortium (CMWC) takes a deeper look into national priorities in the 2015 Canadian Municipal Water Priorities Report. Last year's inaugural Canadian Municipal Water Priorities report set the stage for the initiatives of the CMWC. The CMWC's Leadership Group (CLG) identified four priority areas within the themes of integrated risk [...]
Knowledge about the occurrence of microbial contaminants in groundwater is essential when assessing public health risks. Between 1974 and 2001, human enteric viruses (primarily Norwalk and Hepatitis A) were responsible for at least 24 public health outbreaks in Canada. There are a large number of Canadian municipalities that rely on groundwater as their source of [...]
Municipalities must take actions to detect problematic sites for lead in tap water and implement corrective measures to prevent exposure. This research investigated key aspects of managing lead in tap water: identifying high risk sites, evaluating water lead levels and exposure in children, and investigating the best corrective actions.
Canadian communities are facing challenges – due to growth, increasing urbanization, financial constraints, climate change and more. What information do water managers and decision-makers need to keep their cities healthy and safe?
Canadian Water Network’s Municipal Consortium Leadership Group – a proactive group of municipal water leaders from across Canada – have joined [...]
Over the past 30 years, the water sector has invested heavily in resources to meet the increasingly stringent regulations for drinking water quality. One major area of growing attention for assuring drinking water safety has been disinfection byproducts (DBPs).
The events in North Battleford, Saskatchewan and Walkerton, Ontario have increased awareness of water quality issues in Canada. Knowing what is in our drinking water is important for health and environmental reasons. Canadians need pertinent water quality information that is easily accessible, of high quality, and available in a timely manner.
In drinking water treatment, a balance must be maintained between the highest microbial safety, while limiting the long term chemical risk from disinfection by-products. To achieve this, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) models are used to attain a level of acceptability in engineering and public health.