Advance in water filtration technology has applications everywhere from the energy industry and agriculture to municipal water treatment
In 2017, University of Alberta mechanical engineering professor Mohtada Sadrzadeh found himself presenting his work on a new water treatment technology at the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) conference right after a researcher from an IBM research centre who was pitching almost exactly the same technology. “It was strange for me at first — you hear the name…
Only the private sector can deliver the high-quality housing that reserves need. Government waiting lists will never catch up
Adequate housing – especially in remote and northern locations – is an intractable problem facing First Nation communities. The high cost of housing in these locations and the never-ending cycle of backlogs plague reserve communities across Canada. The federal government must pledge to make housing a commitment on the same level as safe drinking water…
The U of A community mourns the loss of the world-renowned ecologist and environmentalist, and honours his achievements
The University of Alberta is mourning the loss of ecology professor emeritus David Schindler, a devoted family man, friend and mentor, and one of the world’s strongest and most respected voices addressing one of the planet’s most pressing issues – ensuring water safety and sustainability. Schindler was 80. Born August 3, 1940, in Fargo, N.D.,…
The government should be bolder on reform commitments and less grandiose in its promises
Canada and its Indigenous communities should finally commit this year to making the systemic reforms needed to ensure First Nations drinking water standards are the same as the rest of the country. For starters, Indigenous communities ought to experiment with more regional water authority agreements to deliver safe drinking water. In late 2020, Indigenous Services…
U of A computing scientists working with Edmonton company to find out if applying AI to water treatment is a financial, environmental win-win
A pilot project leveraging the University of Alberta’s artificial intelligence expertise to improve the process of making drinking water safe is up and running in Drayton Valley, Alta. The U of A’s Reinforcement Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lab, along with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, an Alberta not-for-profit institute with U of A affiliations, Edmonton infrastructure technology…
Research by U of A biologists shows detrimental effects on tiny water fleas that are fundamental to freshwater food chains
The active ingredients found in sunscreen have detrimental effects on freshwater ecosystems, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists. The results show that long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) filters – including avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene – is lethal for some organisms living in freshwater environments. One of the largest sources of UV-filter contamination…
Spending lots of money on hydroelectric projects in the hopes we’ll need the power in the future is a mug’s game, even for big projects
Local journalists are always looking for ways to blow a hometown story into something that might interest the networks, big city dailies or syndication services. For me, it was trying to feed stories to the Canadian Press wire service in Halifax while working in local radio and TV in Fredericton and Saint John. They paid…
Researchers find degraded, toxic compounds from CFC replacements in ice core sample from summit of Devon Ice Cap
Substances used to replace ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) may be as problematic as their predecessors, a new study shows. “The degradation products from these substances may be just as concerning as the original chemicals they were meant to replace,” said Alison Criscitiello, director of the University of Alberta’s Canadian Ice Core Lab. “We are seeing significant levels of…
University of Alberta expert helping lead national pilot project that could be critical in the battle against the coronavirus
One of the best ways to find out whether the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is on the rise or declining in a community is to look in the sewer, say public health experts. That’s where you’ll find early telltale signs of its genetic signature. University of Alberta water expert Steve Hrudey is…
Frogs, toads, salamanders, insects and other invertebrates teem in vernal pools, depending on where you live in the country
Have you ever walked in a forest in early spring and seen all the beautiful little ponds that dot the landscape? Have you gone there again in July and wondered where they went? I can explain what’s happening here and why they’re so critical to many animals. Vernal pools – also known as ephemeral, autumnal,…
The astonishing levels of lead in Canada’s drinking water requires action. That means taking simple measures at the local level, aided by federal incentives
By Paz Gómez Research Associate Frontier Centre for Public Policy Canadians have been exposed to a silent health hazard for more than 40 years: high levels of lead in tap water. Although a clear case of municipal mismanagement, Toronto shows the issue can be handled at the local level with minimal federal oversight – given…
Americans need water and we have it. Canadians should begin to look at water as a commodity – the blue gold that it is.
“Water is more valuable than oil.” Former U.S. President George W. Bush Canada exports huge quantities of water to the United States and all over the world. As the world’s fifth largest exporter of agricultural products – which are composed mainly of water – huge amounts of Canadian water leave the country every day. Whole…
A Fraser Institute study evaluated the quantity and quality of Canada’s freshwater and discovered just a few areas of concern
By Ross McKitrick, Elmira Aliakbari and Ashley Stedman The Fraser Institute It’s difficult to imagine a resource more vital than clean water. It’s essential for human health and contributes to economic and social well-being. To help Canadians understand the status of our water resources, a recent Fraser Institute study evaluated the quantity and quality of…
All 10 businesses have since removed the bypass lines to avoid penalties, town council told
Kenneth Brown of The Clarion The Town of Kindersley has inspected water meters at commercial properties in town and council has received a report on the bypass inspection project. Mayor Rod Perkins spoke about the project at a council meeting on Aug. 20 and he said council had received the final administrative report on the…
Malathion, an insecticide, is known to be effective in eradicating mosquitoes and ticks, which have also been a problem in recent years
Kenneth Brown of The Clarion It didn’t take long after the first heat and rainfall of the season for mosquitoes to become a problem so the Town of Kindersley is tackling the issue early this season. The town is taking a two-pronged approach to battling mosquitoes in response to another early-season presence by the pesky…
In 2017, University of Alberta mechanical engineering professor Mohtada Sadrzadeh found himself presenting his work on a new water treatment technology at the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) conference right after a researcher from an IBM research centre who was pitching almost exactly the same technology. “It was strange for me at first — you hear the name…
