Partnership for Innovation in Climate Change Adaptation in Water & Wastewater Treatment

The impacts of climate change on source and receiving water quality are estimated to be profound. Climate change adaptation requires an anticipatory reaction across the water community to address design approaches to mitigate environmental damage of wastewater discharge and to manage water quality and water and wastewater treatment costs into the future. The consideration of climate change in design is only recently gaining the attention of the water and wastewater community. For that reason, we have established a strong partnership with three municipalities and five industrial organizations to work with on improving water and wastewater quality under climate change pressures through advancing science and technology. Specifically, our team has organized the research program into three themes: A. Development of Robust Monitoring Methods & Technologies; B. Climate-Adaptive Technologies for Safe Water at the Tap; and C. Climate Conscious Technologies for Wastewater Management.To accomplish these goals, the team will be led by Dr. Graham Gagnon and Dr. Amina Stoddart who have led international impact with their water and wastewater research activities throughout their careers. Over the next 5-years, the team anticipates to have impact on the Partner Organizations and broadly to the water community through 26 uniquely defined work packages that will see 38 undergraduate students, 32 graduate students (20 MASc & 12 PhD) and nine postdoctoral fellows trained. The research outcomes will be disseminated to our Partner Organizations via regular meetings, online webinars, and data dashboards. In addition, based on the tracks records of the Research Team and the Partner Organizations, the expected outcomes of this five-year research program will help Canada to be well positioned to continue industrial and economic leadership in the water sector, while adapting to increased pressures from climate change.