The CWWA toque has become an iconic tradition of its own. We introduced the first toques as a simple piece of swag to support our ‘apres ski’ theme for the national conference in Whistler.  The toques were so well-received and they seemed to alter the tone of the whole social event.  So we tried it again the next year in Toronto, then in St. John’s, and the next thing you know…it’s a tradition.  I actually considered swapping out the toque for a bandana for our conference in Banff, but that thought was overwhelming vetoed by all involved.

We just completed our third webinar in our series. Everyone who registered for each webinar will receive the links to access the recordings of these events. In the meantime we're excited to share what we have coming up in February.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, recently established the Minister’s Advisory Council on Impact Assessment. The establishment of the Council follows the first year anniversary of the Impact Assessment Act. The new Act came into force in August 2019 to strengthen environmental protection in Canada, promote cooperation with other jurisdictions, foster sustainability, restore trust in how decisions are made, and grow the economy.

The Government of Canada recently announced a $750 million commitment to support Canada’s growing cleantech sector by recapitalizing Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), as part of its plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy.

As mentioned in the previous Bulletin on December 17, 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced the launch of public consultations to establish a new Canada Water Agency ("CWA") and improve freshwater management across Canada.

The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC), in partnership with Keewaytinook Okimakanak/Northern Chiefs Council, is focusing on projects that support drinking water operator training, certification and mentorship for First Nations communities.

For the first time, WCWC will be offering the course, Managing Drinking Water Systems in First Nations Communities, in a live virtual format. This course is designed as an introduction to management practices related to the drinking water systems in First Nations communities. It provides a high-level overview of drinking water systems, explores components of effective drinking water system management and provides resources and practical tools for consideration in developing or making improvements to current practices. This course is designed for First Nations Chiefs, Council and management who have operational responsibility for drinking water systems.

The Ontario government is creating a working group to help implement changes to conservation authorities. Hassaan Basit, President and CEO of Conservation Halton, will chair the new group which will provide input on the development of proposed regulations under the Conservation Authorities Act, and on how conservation authorities are governed. 

Significant water infrastructure projects in Quebec and Ontario received funding from the federal government during the week of December 7, 2020.

ESE Magazine

Officials at U.K.-based Wessex Water have vowed to figure out why four men died earlier this month in a large explosion at its wastewater treatment plant in Bristol.

The Hill

Almost 50,000 Georgia and North Carolina households had their power shut off by electricity giants in November. In Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee, water access for 12,600 homes — an estimated 32,000 people — was cut off by the nation’s largest private water utility from September through November 2020.

Water Online

For as long as I can remember, I have felt a deep connection between water and music. From mix tapes (remember those?) to my current iTunes playlists, water themes have dominated my song selections.

Water Online

Denver Water is keeping a close ear on a 15-mile stretch of water pipeline running across north Denver and replacing two problem areas.

The underground pipeline carries large amounts of water from the Moffat Water Treatment Plant in Lakewood out to people in northeast Denver and Denver International Airport. During the summer irrigation season, when water use is the highest, around 30 to 40 million gallons of water can flow through the pipeline every day.

ESE Magazine

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the first major update to its underachieving Lead and Copper Rule in nearly 30 years.

Browse Water Canada's top five wastewater stories of 2020. 

Water Canada

To meet their mandates, water utilities must not only know where their assets are and how they relate to each other, but also how they relate to the infrastructure and operations of other departments and agencies, such as transportation and transit. 

Water Canada

Pharmaceuticals, like a chemotherapy drug called methotrexate, can be highly effective for patients. However, these pharmaceuticals are finding their way into water bodies with wide-ranging negative implications for public health and the environment.

Avensys Solutions is an industry leader providing instrumentation and integrated solutions for all Wastewater related industry in the Canadian marketplace.