Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Canada produces approx. 4.9 billion m3 of treated drinking water annually, the majority of which comes from surface water sources (i.e. rivers, lakes and streams). Surface water sources are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts due to increased extreme weather events. This vulnerability is further compounded by rapid population growth, which escalates water demands while simultaneously adding pressure on source water quality in local surroundings. Our water sources are under pressure and resilience and adaptability in drinking water treatment plant design is fundamentally required to ensure safe drinking water for all. In the past few years, the news has abounded with climate change related events - such as increasingly severe atmospheric rivers, and intense Wildfire Seasons. The lower mainland of BC experienced a series of atmospheric rivers that led to intensive flooding in January 2020 and November 2021, with the later surpassing 20 records for greatest amount of precipitation in various spots in the lower mainland; flooding homes and agricultural lands, and placing water sources at risk for unexpected contamination. Expectations are that these atmospheric rivers will become 25% longer and 50% more intense over the next 50 years. Meanwhile, during dry seasons across Canada, wild fire outbreaks have increased and are not expected to abate over the next several decades leading to further negative impacts on water quality. These weather events lead to increased pollutant releases into our surface water sources. Pollutants include increased dissolved and suspended solids, microorganisms, organic and inorganic chemicals and dilute raw sewage sources that mix with rain water. Water treatment plants must be designed and operated in ways that help mitigate unpredictable water quality challenges to be faced over the coming years. This research program explores the capacity of biofiltration and membrane technology to produce safe drinking water in a resilient, sustainable manner to mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change in drinking water while accounting for specific challenges in Canada such as large variations in water temperature. Building on recent progress within the research group, this research aims to (1) examine full scale backwashing protocols with biofilters to ensure filter health over a range of water quality conditions, as well as develop and evaluate innovative support media, such as modified graphene oxide and biochar, to enhance the resilience of filtration in removing water borne contaminants at drinking water utilities due to climate change and (2) to investigate advanced operational and cleaning protocols with ceramic and polymeric membranes for drinking water treatment. The insights gained from this research will lead to the formulation of optimal design recommendations, enabling informed and appropriate decision making in Canadian communities, and globally, to ensure safe drinking water for all.