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New streams of thought by Madjid Mohseni, Scientific Director, RES’EAU WaterNET BC-based network leverages diverse expertise to improve drinking water in small communities The popular consensus in Canada seems to be that fresh, potable water is a bottomless resource. It is certainly taken for granted. The Conference Board of Canada in 2011 ranked us 15 th out of 16 ‘peer countries’ for water consumption – giving us a ‘D’ grade for usage more than double that of the 16-country average. What rarely makes the news is the fact that the health of millions of Canadians is at risk each day from improperly treated and potentially unsafe drinking water in small, rural and First Nations communities (SRCs). here, unique and complex socio-cultural, economic, political and technological issues have hindered the progress that research, development and significant government funding from broad tax bases has brought to larger populations. All of that could change if a diverse group of researchers and a growing coalition of public and private partners have their way. “We set out to put small communities on the map in terms of their urgent need for affordable technological solutions tailored to their unique circumstances,” says Dr. Madjid Mohseni, scientific director of RES’EAU WaterNET, a national, multidisciplinary research network based at the University of British Columbia. “Our approach is about much more than R&D. It involves creating a bench-to-tap synergy between science, industry and the end-user to create technologies and processes to provide clean water in these settings, while fostering the political will at all levels to fund their installation and operation.” RES’EAU WaterNET was launched in 2009 through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Strategic Network grant. 13 principal investigators based at 7 Canadian universities lead 15 collaborative research 36 Watermark Spring 2012 projects organized under RES’EAU’s core foci – Characterizing Source Water Quality, Development of Innovative Treatment Solutions and Diffusion of Innovative Solutions. Joining them are dozens of top Canadian water technology engineers, scientists, economists, science policy experts, industry partners and community representatives. Since the network’s launch, almost 90 trainees ranging from undergrads to post-doctoral fellows have participated in RES’EAU as part of an ongoing effort to create a new generation of water experts committed to improving conditions in SRCs.They have their work cut out for them. It is detailed work on a grand scale that requires real-world testing and analysis to succeed. For instance, RES’EAU researchers are working with 25 communities throughout British Columbia, Quebec and Newfoundland to assess the microbial and chemical quality of source water in order to develop a validated database characterizing seasonal and regional variability. That database will be used to inform the development of technological solutions that can cope with differences in source water quality. The network is already working closely with industrial partners to pilot test new systems in community settings. RES’EAU defines a small system as one that serves less than 2,000 residents (and/or less than 500 connections). This includes rural, isolated and cottage or fishing communities, many First Nations reserves and fringe areas of urban centres where local treatment options are deemed to be most effective. In all, the definition encompasses 75% of all water systems in Canada, supplying more than six million people. Replacing their out-of-date equipment with most new purification technologies is cost-prohibitive, so RES’EAU aims to push the boundaries of conventional wisdom to develop simpler, affordable and low-maintenance strategies these communities can easily adopt and manage. “The technologies we are developing are only one aspect of a solution to bring safe water to SRCs,” Mohseni explains. “SRCs struggle with limited funds for public services, and so our systems need to be affordable, and the community needs to see real value for their money. They also need to be able to operate and maintain the technologies we develop, so there is a significant human element that must be considered.” To fully understand how that human element affects the marketing, funding, delivery and maintenance of water purification technologies for SRCs, RES’EAU maintains a robust dialogue with First Nations organizations and other small community stakeholders. To date, the network has held two well-attended knowledge translation workshops as well as a 2010 conference focusing solely on aboriginal drinking water challenges. The goal of these events is to gather key stakeholders from SRCs, government, industry and the RES’EAU research team to identify and prioritize challenges, solutions and best practices. “To be successful, we have to maintain a discourse among these groups that is informed by technical information, but with an expert appreciation of the circumstances in which technical solutions must operate,” Mohseni concludes. “The RES’EAU process takes into account all factors that can affect the progress of the work that needs to be done. That has required us to engage a wide range of partners, and to act as the voice for the needs of SRCs in Canada.” For more information on RES’EAU WaterNET, visit www.reseauwaternet.ca. click here to return to table of contents
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Page 6 and 7: PRESIdENT’S MESSAGE LEN STEIN, BC
Page 8 and 9: CEO’S MESSAGE DAISy FOSTER, CHIEF
Page 10 and 11: EdITOR’S MESSAGE CAROL CAMPBELL,
Page 12 and 13: AWWA dIRECTOR’S REPORT MIKE NOLAN
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