Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Municipal water infrastructure is essential for the well being of Canadians and the prosperity of the nation. In order to protect our drinking water supplies, there is a need to understand the contribution of contamination arriving from urban sources via storm and combined sewers as these present the greatest threat to urban drinking water sources. Management of urban waters during storm events, particularly decisions on when to store or release water, are often based upon water quantity and not water quality. In order to integrate water quality into urban water management and the design of new water infrastructure for source water protection it is necessary to improve our understanding of contaminant dynamics. Thus, the proposed research aims to (1) investigate the relationship of emerging chemical micropollutants with microbial contaminants and genetic markers of fecal contamination as a means to identify sources of contamination within urban streams impacted by combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and storm sewers, (2) determine the nature of the association of microbial and chemical contaminants with particles and sediments and their dynamics in CSOs and urban streams, and (3) develop an index of sanitary contamination for identifying priority sources of contamination for urban source water protection. Important benefits to Canada will result from the proposed research as the acquired knowledge and data will assist with the development of source water protection plans, the design of new technologies for treating contaminated stormwaters, the identification of cross-connected sewers that need repair, and the real time management of urban waters. These tools will be essential for science-based arbitration of investments in water infrastructure to repair or replace aging municipal infrastructure that contributes to water quality deterioration in drinking water sources. Eight HQP will receive interdisciplinary training in an integrated environment consisting of 5 investigators, policy makers (Ontario and Québec's Ministries of the Environment), industrial and municipal partners (Avensys Solutions, Cities of Laval and Montréal).