Nexus Videos

These six short videos introduce different aspects of the water-energy-food nexus and how our communities are connected through it.

The Water Nexus: Energy, Food and People

Most of your daily decisions influence the demand for water. The interconnected system of food, energy, and people relies on the water in our basin. The amount of water is limited, so all the players in this system must cooperate to share our water resources.

Bow River Water Users

Water from the river is needed for many different uses, including communities, agriculture, energy production, and healthy ecosystems. It is essential to work together to balance those many uses with the amount of water available.

Improving Water Quality through Agricultural Innovation

Water quality is supported by management practices by farmers and agriculture produces. The Bow River supports many different users and activities, and the practices of everyone in the Bow River watershed can help or hinder the water quality in the river.

Complex Interconnections Between Water Users in the Watershed

The many water users who share the Bow River are connected in complex ways. Not only do we all share the same water source, we also share energy that is produced in this region, and we rely on the local land for agriculture and many economic activities. Coordinating together is important for sharing these many resources.

A Healthy Environment Supports All Water Users

Our natural environment provides clean water, clean air, and many other essential services that we often take for granted. We all have to work to keep our natural environment, and especially our rivers and lakes healthy.

A Growing Population Will Mean Growing Demand for Food, Energy and Water

Water is used to grow food and to produce energy, water is also needed by people for drinking, cleaning, and many other activities. As the population of people grows in cities and around the world, more food, energy and water will be required. Improvements in efficiency and reducing waste in all three of these sectors is a key strategy to address the challenges of limited available water.

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Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Board Member

Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.

Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Brian Mergelas

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market.   With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry. 

Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector. 

He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency. 

Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field. 

Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation.   As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.