Researchers Improving the Safety of our Drinking Water

The inaugural Tech Transfer Day in Drinking Water Research marked the announcement of a Senior Industrial Research Chair, awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to Civil Engineering Professor Robert Andrews.

“This is a wonderful investment in an area of critical concern around the globe,” said Cristina Amon, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. “The sustainability of a safe supply of drinking water is essential to our health and well-being, and our researchers under Professor Bob Andrews’ leadership are dedicated to providing innovative solutions to address the world’s drinking water challenges.”

This new Chair will enable Professor Andrews and colleague Professor Ron Hofmann, whose position was created as part of the Chair, to investigate new technologies to monitor the quality of water supplies in near real-time and allow quicker responses in treatment, leading to safer drinking water and potential cost savings. The research team will also identify emerging challenges to drinking water quality and determine how to best address theses problems through the novel application of both conventional and advanced treatment technologies.

An Industrial Research Chair is a prestigious appointment intended to assist universities in developing major research partnerships with industry. Industry partners supporting the Chair include: GE Zenon, Pathogen Detection Systems, Hydomantis, Calgon Carbon, Environmental Bio-Detection Products, the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of Halton, Peterborough Utilities Corporation, the City of London, Town of Parry Sound and the Region of Durham.

The water research Tech Transfer Day was held April 9 with more than 50 professionals representing some of the country's major decision-makers in drinking water.

“Bringing together Canada s top professionals in drinking water research helps ensure that we are able to target new research initiatives that will have the greatest positive impact on society,” said Professor Andrews. “We hope to build on the success of our first Tech Transfer Day in Drinking Water Research and make this an annual event.”

In addition to the Senior Industrial Research Chair, the Ministry of Research and Innovation recently announced funding of a new initiative Control of Emerging Contaminants.  Professors Andrews and Hofmann will serve as co-investigators and receive more than $1 million in support of the University of Toronto s part of this initiative, which will focus on treatment technologies to address pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants in drinking water. This project represents a collaborative effort among four Ontario universities and is being led by Professor Wayne Parker at the University of Waterloo.

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