Water News

Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Canada and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.  
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Construction to start on major Foothills-Okotoks water project

Construction to start on major Foothills-Okotoks water project

CBC


The Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project will see water pumped from the confluence of the Bow and Highwood rivers to treatment facilities in both the town and Foothills County.   Click here to read the story.   Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.

Compare and contrast: Britain launches sweeping review of scandal-ridden water utility sector

Compare and contrast: Britain launches sweeping review of scandal-ridden water utility sector

The Globe and Mail


Britain on Wednesday launched a major review to tackle the crisis in its water utility sector after years of underinvestment and pollution scandals affecting rivers, lakes and seas, which could result in its regulator being abolished.   Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.

Compare and contrast: Risk of cardiovascular disease linked to long-term exposure to arsenic in community water supplies

Compare and contrast: Risk of cardiovascular disease linked to long-term exposure to arsenic in community water supplies

Science Daily


Long-term exposure to arsenic in water may increase cardiovascular risk and especially heart disease risk even at exposure levels below the federal regulatory limit, according to new research. A study describes exposure-response relationships at concentrations below the current regulatory limit and substantiates that prolonged exposure to arsenic in water contributes to the development of ischemic heart disease.   Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Infrastructure.

Compare and contrast: North Carolina farms face depleted, toxic soil after historic Helene flooding

Compare and contrast: North Carolina farms face depleted, toxic soil after historic Helene flooding

The Guardian


Suddenly, there’s deep climate trauma here, in a place where we mistakenly thought hurricanes happened to Floridians and coastal communities, not us. It’s not just a question of what Helene, now the nation’s deadliest hurricane since Katrina, took. It’s also a question of what it left behind: tons of soil, sediment and toxic sludge in places where it shouldn’t be – including covering our region’s farms. Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Flood.

Compare and contrast: Combining satellite methods provides drought detection from space

Compare and contrast: Combining satellite methods provides drought detection from space

Science Daily


Observing sites like the Amazon basin from space has underscored the capability of satellites to better detect signs of drought, according to a new study. The researchers combined Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE methods to improve monitoring of hydrological droughts.   Click here to read the story. Click the following link for more information on Drought.

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.