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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Alberta-made 100-foot sprinkler tower heralded as the latest wildfire fighting tool

Alberta-made 100-foot sprinkler tower heralded as the latest wildfire fighting tool

Edmonton Journal
Perhaps the world’s largest pop-up sprinkler, a new telescoping tower-of-shower is bringing its portable cloud to a wildfire soon. Designed to quickly drench a landscape from 100 feet up a tower, the RainStream is getting some attention from the wildfire-fighting community.   Click here to read the story.

Compare and contrast: Pathogens which cling to microplastics may survive wastewater treatment

Compare and contrast: Pathogens which cling to microplastics may survive wastewater treatment

Science Daily
Wastewater treatment fails to kill several human pathogens when they hide out on microplastics in the water, according to a new study.   Click here to read the story.

Compare and contrast: Nearly all of US states are facing droughts, an unprecedented number

Compare and contrast: Nearly all of US states are facing droughts, an unprecedented number

The Guardian
Every US state except Alaska and Kentucky is facing drought, an unprecedented number, according to the US Drought Monitor. About 54% of land in the 48 contiguous US states is affected by droughts.   Click here to read the story.

Compare and contrast: How slow warnings, poor defences left Spain exposed to deadly floods

Compare and contrast: How slow warnings, poor defences left Spain exposed to deadly floods

Reuters
Mixed messages and confusion cost lives, experts say, and poor coordination and lack of infrastructure worsened the disaster. Deaths were recorded in 14 of the 24 towns that had already been identified in environment ministry reports as at high risk of flooding, a Reuters review found.   Click here to read the story.   Click the following link for more information on Flood.

Compare and contrast: News Release 8-Nov-2024′ Greener and cleaner: Yeast-green algae mix improves water treatment

Compare and contrast: News Release 8-Nov-2024′ Greener and cleaner: Yeast-green algae mix improves water treatment

EurekAlert!


The active sludge method of wastewater treatment requires electricity to ensure the flow of oxygen that feeds bacteria and other organisms that process the water. Adding microalgae to conduct photosynthesis, which produces oxygen, improves energy-efficiency, but low carbon dioxide levels hinder their growth. Enter the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which produces carbon dioxide.   Click here to read the story.

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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.