Montreal sound artist gives historic Humboldt Water Tower new life as instrument, art venue
Built in 1915 to resemble a coastal lighthouse, the historic Humboldt Water Tower is being given new life as an art venue.
One of only...
Man arrested following excavator rampage that damaged Winnipeg water treatment plant
A Winnipeg man faces charges after he allegedly used an on-site excavator to cause millions of dollars in damage to structures and vehicles at...
Summer swimming and tubing alters water chemistry, researchers say
Researchers say they used software and high-level instrumental analysis to determine whether summer swimming and tubing can alter the chemical and microbial fingerprint of...
Brita water filters accused of falsely advertising ability to reduce water contaminants, lawsuit claims
A new class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court claims that popular home water filtration company, Brita, is misleading consumers about...
Zurich researchers develop technique to extract clean water from fog
Researchers at a university in Switzerland have harvested water from fog, while also removing pollutants, making it possible to extract drinking water in urban...
Montreal plans to address high water use and leakage with new water strategy
City of Montreal officials say they may be at the top of the list when it comes to which city wastes the most water...
Water First starts new First Nations water operator internship near Orillia
A new 15-month paid water treatment plant operator internship program for Indigenous youth and young adults has launched near Orillia, Ontario, where eight interns...
Water utility communications improved customer trust, AWWA survey finds
A water utility that communicates frequently will have greater trust from its customers and they will be more than three times likely to report...
Smiths Falls must decide to raze or restore historic water treatment plant
A former Smiths Falls water treatment plant with two heritage designations was severely damaged in a May fire. Now, local officials of the eastern...
Major water infrastructure upgrades funded for B.C. and New Brunswick communities
Canada and two provincial governments are making substantial water and wastewater infrastructure investments in the British Columbia community of Bowen Island and the New...
Shoal Lake 40 First Nation sues Winnipeg over century-old aqueduct impact, missing compensation
The Shoal Lake 40 First Nation is suing the City of Winnipeg and the federal government for breaching their obligation to provide compensation they...
Vancouver approves $300M Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel project
Construction is expected to begin late next year on the $300-million Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel project in Vancouver.
The project received approval from the...
New U.S. reports question financial feasibility of municipal PFAS removal at WWTPs
A new survey suggests that operational costs for wastewater utilities could increase by more than 60% — some three times higher than federal projections...
Water plant operator fined for not logging days in chlorine calibration mode
A water operator at a municipal plant in eastern Ontario — near the Quebec border — has been fined more than $5,000 for adjusting...
Nova Scotia flash floods damage water infrastructure as investments announced in Antigonish
Flash flooding damaged a pump station in the Nova Scotia community of Bedford recently, causing sewage to flow into Sandy Lake.
The flash flooding damaged...
Manitoba takes centre stage for water
Manitoba has been making headlines with a series of water-related initiatives, including the modernization of its water strategy, access to water network data, and the establishment of new invasive species inspection stations.
Monitoring geologic carbon sequestration sites is needed to protect groundwater quality
Distributed Strain Sensing Rayleigh Frequency Shift (DSS-RFS) is the latest generation of fibre optic sensing systems employed to monitor deep well conditions
HRS completes construction of its largest ever evaporator
At a manufacturing facility in Spain, a 52-ft high evaporator has steadily been constructed over the last 12 months. Now complete, the unit, which...
Calgary’s costs to reintroduce fluoride triple due to inflation, infrastructure upgrades
Calgary officials say the cost of reintroducing fluoride into the city's water system has nearly tripled due to inflation and the need for infrastructure...
BC, Manitoba First Nations set for major water infrastructure upgrades
Provincial and federal investments are supporting water and wastewater treatment system upgrades for First Nation communities in Manitoba and British Columbia.
For the B.C. Haida...
Canadian cities launch hydrant drinking fountain projects as heat records are broken worldwide
The Alberta City of Lethbridge and Waterloo, Ontario are joining the City of Ottawa, this summer in offering 24/7 hydrant hookups to beat the...
Former employee charged for remote computer attack on California water treatment plant
A former water plant contractor for instrumentation and control technology has been charged with intentionally causing damage to a protected computer. The new indictment...
Nutrients and not temperature impact blue-green algae blooms
Using data from 464 lakes in North and South America, scientists have determined that temperature by itself does not influence the biomass of blue-green...
Atomic Energy Agency says release of Fukushima nuclear plant water meets standards
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station’s plans to release treated water into the Pacific Ocean are consistent...
NASA’s urine brine processor pushes water reclamation to 98% on International Space Station
New brine processor technology is helping NASA astronauts reach a water reclamation milestone onboard the International Space Station.
Some of the key items on the...
Water use rises after B.C. community imposes restrictions during drought
A district mayor for Port Hardy on the northeast end of Vancouver Island says her small community has struggled to accept ongoing water restrictions...
Washington farmers group says B.C. waters are causing cross-border contamination
A Washington farming advocacy group is calling for action to address worsening fecal coliform levels it claims are as high as 260 times the...
Nova Scotia’s CBRM forming commission to revamp water, wastewater billing
The water utility and wastewater departments in The Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) are forming a commission that would be regulated by the Nova...
Senator introduces bill to protect U.S. water utilities from PFAS cleanup costs, litigation
A Wyoming senator has introduced a liability protection bill to shield U.S. water utilities from being pulled into legal actions taken against PFAS manufacturers...
Walkerton Clean Water Centre developing specialized training for water system operators, supervisors and managers
A new series of courses is being developed by the Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) to help water system operators, supervisors and managers become...
Canadians make strong showing as host of AWWA’s ACE23 in Toronto
Not only is one out of 10 American Water Works Association (AWWA) members from Canada, those members also made quite the splash at the...
New AWWA survey shows growing optimism for future of water sector
This year marks the 20th edition of the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) State of the Water Industry survey, and responses continue a six-year...
Rosehill WTP earns tastiest tap water two years running for Niagara Region
Last year, it was a tap water sample from the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant. This year, it was a tap water sample from...
Buffalo Pound water plant strives to balance algae bloom impact with construction schedule
A strange taste and smell to the drinking water for Regina and Moose Jaw can be linked to a uniquely aggressive spring algae bloom...
Understanding the basic principles of water treatment media pilot trial design and evaluation
Properly designing, operating, and analyzing data from a water treatment media pilot trial will yield valuable performance data.
Research projects blaze trails at Canadian colleges and universities
Canadian colleges and universities made headlines this spring with an array of innovative and meaningful research projects.
Biological ion exchange shows promise to deliver safe water
With conventional methods being prohibitively expensive for the small community, a pilot study successfully examined biological ion exchange for water.
The benefits of using connected safety devices in water, wastewater facilities
Connected technologies can keep water industry workers safe, while also improving productivity, highlighting trends and lowering the likelihood of future incidents.
Responding to the Iqaluit water crisis
In October 2021, residents complained of a fuel-like smell coming from tap water. Then, fuel-like contamination was discovered at the water treatment plant.
Town of Smiths Falls reducing non‑revenue water losses
A series of water audits found the Town's non-revenue water was above 60%. Consequently, it began searching for a solution that could reduce this figure.
York Regional Council earmarks $3B for major water infrastructure work
Ontario’s York Regional Council has earmarked $3.1 billion over the next decade to build out and maintain its water and wastewater infrastructure, with a...
Alberta’s Fox Lake water treatment plant lost to wildfire
Following the loss of the Fox Lake water treatment plant, Alberta continues to struggle with raging wildfires that have now led to 15 evacuation...
Lethbridge considers $18M water pipeline for potato plant expansion
Alberta’s Lethbridge County is considering a $6-million loan to fund an 18,300-metre water pipeline for the massive expansion of a local potato processing plant.
The...
Canada establishes guidelines for boron in drinking water
*The following regulatory news article is intended to be a preview of the legislation and not a replacement for the actual guidance from the...
Engineering firm fined $1M for concrete leachate discharge in BC
Engineering firm Keller Foundations Ltd.’s construction activities have led to a $1 million fine after discharging concrete leachate into groundwater that flowed into British...
First Nations Drinking Water and Wastewater Act closes consultation window
Public consultation wrapped last week for the draft of what will eventually become the First Nations Drinking Water and Wastewater Act.
Since summer 2022, federal...
Whitehorse weighing move to multi-barrier drinking water treatment
The City of Whitehorse’s water experts say additional treatment processes and disinfection are necessary for their drinking water as its quality has slowly degraded...
Winnipeg selected as HQ for Canada Water Agency as stakeholders await official mandate
Canada’s 2023 federal budget assured that new legislation will drop by year’s end to reveal more details about the mandate for a Canada Water...
New water treatment plant commissioned for Chippewas of Nawash First Nation
The distribution system includes a new watermain and new or replaced water services. These water system improvements will eliminate the boil water advisory, address the extensive system losses, and meet present and future capacity demands.
Water treatment chemical costs draining city coffers across Canada
The pandemic impact on supply chains is leaving the chemical industry reeling, and rising energy costs is affecting the manufacturing and transportation industries, piling onto already sky-high prices, and creating a perfect storm of price pressures.
Free chlorine and why it matters for adequate disinfection
Operators and water quality managers need to know at any given moment the levels of free, combined, and total chlorine in their system. Understanding these metrics and their role is the foundation of providing clean and safe drinking water.
Edmonton adding orthophosphate at water plants to stay under new federal lead limit
To meet new lead concentration guidelines from Health Canada, Edmonton has begun to add orthophosphate at its two water treatment plants to create a...
War takes toll on Ukraine water infrastructure and environment
A new study takes a closer look at how Russian military action is targeting dams at reservoirs, as well as water supply and treatment...
W5 news program reignites debate over risks asbestos cement pipes pose to drinking water
Decades-old asbestos cement pipes are wearing out and bursting in some Canadian communities, and a recent TV news program is raising questions about the...
World Water Day talk highlights the use of sweeteners to find wastewater contamination
In celebration of World Water Day, the University of Guelph welcomed a federal research scientist to share his work on tracing artificial sweeteners to...
New UBC water treatment removes PFAS for good
By Lou Corpuz-Bosshart
Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new water treatment that removes “forever chemicals” from drinking water safely,...
EPA issues long-awaited drinking water limits for PFAS compounds
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing that public water systems monitor for and reduce six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as it...
Health Canada issues guidelines for fecal contamination in recreational waters
As part of new final guidelines for “Understanding and Managing Risks in Recreational Waters”, Health Canada has published a guideline technical document for monitoring...
OSWCA wants Ontario to ensure municipal water services fully recover costs
The Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) is asking the provincial government to pass legislation that would require municipal and regional governments to...
EPA asks water utilities to include cybersecurity practices for audits
Cybersecurity protocols must be integrated into audits for U.S. water utilities, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as it works to clarify definitions and...
New water monitoring method improves flocculation and minimizes mixing energy
Engineering researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a first-of-its-kind water monitoring technique that improves flocculation and minimizes the energy used for mixing.
Coagulant chemicals...
North Bay studying treatments to ensure tap water remains compliant for PFAS
Correction notice: This article incorrectly stated that North Bay’s tap water is "running safely below Health’s Canada’s newly-proposed PFAS guidelines". This is incorrect. According...
CWWA survey to guide association on next steps for natural infrastructure
Although it remains in the early days of municipal adoption, the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) says it believes natural infrastructure may provide...
Evoqua sells carbon reactivation, slurry operations to DESOTEC
Following its recent purchase by global water technology firm Xylem, company leaders at Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. have decided to sell their carbon reactivation...
Water group warns of arsenic buildup in water pit after Quebec lithium mine closes
Despite a late January greenlight from the federal government’s recent assessment, controversy is still following the James Bay Lithium Mine Project in Quebec over...
Ohio EPA still monitoring water following toxic train derailment
Emergency response workers have removed just over one million gallons of contaminated water from puddles and ditches near the scene of Ohio’s recent train...
Teck Coal fined nearly $16M for delay in getting water treatment plant online
A series of environmental infractions, including a failure to build an active water treatment facility on schedule, have added up to more than $16...
Study shows how PFOS moves, attaches to organic carbon in groundwater
Penn State researchers have completed new research that helps to improve understanding of how per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, move as chemicals in groundwater.
In...
Health Canada opens consultation for PFAS limit in drinking water
Health Canada’s Water and Air Quality Bureau has opened a 60-day consultation period for public comment on its proposed drinking water objective of 30 ng/L for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Demystifying cybersecurity for smaller water utilities
When it comes to the water industry, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to protect critical infrastructure information.
An overview on water and wastewater issues in Europe
The market for water and wastewater treatment plants in Europe will continue to grow in the long term, as populations grown and standards improve.
A sonic alternative to controlling harmful algal blooms
Ultrasonic mitigation is increasingly being turned to as an effective and low-cost solution for wastewater repositories, cities and utilities. This solution is safe and, in many cases, returns water ecosystems to their natural state.
Calgary’s new Shaganappi Pump Station designed for energy efficiency and resilience
Having extensive operating data from the original station was advantageous, particularly typical pump flows and hydraulics. With this information, the AE team designed the pumps to achieve their highest efficiency for the most frequent operating conditions, rather than at peak operating conditions. This maximizes energy efficiency over the life cycle of the station.
BC researchers find toxic chemical 4NP in endangered killer whales
A toxic chemical often used to make toilet paper was prevalent among an array of concerning chemicals found in the bodies of orcas and...
California’s groundwater warning should resonate in Saskatchewan, scientist warns
The depletion of groundwater should be a wake-up call for Canada, where more than half of the population relies on groundwater for drinking, and...
Canada opens consultation on corrosion assessment, control guidance for drinking water supplies
*The following regulatory news article is intended to be a preview of the legislation and not a replacement for the actual guidance from the...
Canada reaffirms max concentration for antimony in drinking water
Canada is proposing a risk-managed approach that would reaffirm a maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 0.006 mg/L (or 6 µg/L) for antimony in drinking...
Two long-term boil water advisories lifted, one added, for Ontario First Nations
Long-term boil water advisories have been lifted in two Ontario First Nation communities following upgrades to the local water treatment plants, announced Indigenous Services...
Recycled water showed less toxicity than tap water in new study
A new Stanford University study shows that after treating potable reuse water, it can often be cleaner and more dependable than conventional drinking water...
Gatineau and Houston water plant pressure losses highlight boil water notification process
Some 35,000 water customers in the Quebec Village of Gatineau were recently under a boil water advisory due to a depressurization issue at the...
Hamilton wins OWWA efficiency award for proactive water leak detection progress
In addition to the City of Hamilton saving more than $5 million and nearly 60 million cubic metres of water through proactive leak detection...
Houston mayor disagreed with commission over brief pressure drop triggering massive boil water notice
Some 2.2 million water customers in the U.S. city of Houston were under a boil water notice for two days last week following a...
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority becomes Canada’s first Indigenous water utility
The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority has become Canada’s first Indigenous water utility, following a recent service delivery transfer agreement with Indigenous Services Canada.
After...
Mentoring meaningful for all winners of National First Nations Water Leadership Award
Five years in, the National First Nations Water Leadership Award is helping to tell some of the hidden tales of mentorship ongoing in the lives of water operators on Canada’s reserves, and the joy they’re finding in teaching others to carry on the mission towards creating finely-tuned water systems.
Lake Huron water treatment plant’s high lift pump station upgrade completed
The eventual scope of the project involved the supply of four bottom suction horizontal split case pumps, vibration monitoring system and flow straighteners (suction conditioning spools) for potable water distribution. A significant element of the project was the issue of the pumps delivering energy savings.
More utilities take active role in addressing water scarcity by reducing NRW loss
As we experience more extreme weather, it is becoming common for more parts of Canada to experience water shortages at some point during the year. Addressing aging infrastructure is an ongoing priority for most water utilities, as they look at ways of reducing non-revenue water (NRW) losses. These can be as high as 30% in some water systems.
B.C. Shuswap plan maps out ways to cut phosphorus to reduce algal blooms
A new action plan is recommending ways that industry and residents can help to reduce their “phosphorus footprint” in British Columbia’s Shuswap watershed.
The Salmon...
WWTP upgrades cut Grand River ammonia levels, UWaterloo study finds
A University of Waterloo team studied what happened to the health and metabolism of the Grand River’s ecosystem when the two biggest wastewater treatment...
Xylem report shows how sensors are helping water sector blaze carbon-cutting path
With some 80 water and wastewater utilities worldwide setting net-zero and climate-neutrality targets, a new report suggests that the water sector could become one...
Minnesota fights PFAS pollution with foam fractionation
Minnesota will be the first U.S. state to test new foam fractionation technology that injects outdoor air into contaminated PFAS water that can be...
Ojibways of Onigaming water operator wins national First Nations water award
Brian Indian from Ontario’s Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation, near Kenora and the Manitoba border, has won the 2022 National First Nations Water Leadership...
Ontario’s Thames Centre cites importance of transparency over HAA levels in drinking water
Thames Centre officials say they are adjusting their day-to-day operations in order to reduce excess levels of haloacetic acids found in the drinking water,...
UK drought conditions helping drones spot water pipe leaks
Anglian Water, a large U.K.’s water and wastewater utility, is taking advantage of unusually dry conditions by using drones to spot water pipe leaks...
Most US residents trust local water utility, AWWA poll finds
Interestingly, just more than half of the polled water customers said they were aware that utilities frequently test tap water.
Regina’s new water meters will provide near real-time data
The City of Regina has begun the three-year, $42.5-million process of installing new water meters that will be able to transmit residential and commercial...
UToledo testing real-time sensor as algae warning system for water treatment
The University of Toledo is testing a real-time optical sensor on Lake Erie drinking water to protect public drinking water during the harmful algal...
The problem with PFAS waste incineration
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) released a memo placing a moratorium on the incineration of materials containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). According to the memo, the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act requires the ban until the DOD issues guidance implementing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) interim guidance on the destruction and disposal of PFAS. And, what does the EPA’s current interim guidance say about incinerating PFAS-containing waste? It is best summarized this way: “More research is needed.”
Halifax water uses advanced pressure management pilot to reduce leakages
After hitting a static level of breaks and non-revenue water (NRW) loss, for Halifax Water (HW) the challenge is increasing leak awareness to reduce run time. To help reduce NRW loss, HW partnered with Mueller for a performance trial of an advanced pressure management and control platform.
Using Python can help Canadian water utilities cope with vast amounts of incoming data
Infinitii ai looks at the automation of utilities using machine learning program, Python, and the development of a new automation software called face pro.
Investigating the source and age of nitrate in drinking water wells
This case study involved an environmental isotope investigation of groundwater in a small community where the groundwater was known to be impacted by nitrate.
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A new awareness campaign from Utilities Kingston includes a YouTube video showing just how challenging it can be for workers to clear out hardened...
