With the full support of the Research Advisory committee (RAC) the WCWC Business Plan sets out a new research approach that will enhance partnerships with both universities and colleges and encourage conduct of research at the Centre with graduate students and/or post doctoral fellows. WCWC shifted from being primarily a research funder to a research institute that conducts research and seeks research funding.
To implement this proposed research approach and increase its capacity, WCWC has reallocated resources and will hire a Research Lead, an Innovation Lead, a Post Doctoral Fellow and will invite our partners to have graduate students work at the Centre.
WCWC plans to undertake the research projects described below, provided that the grant proposals submitted by the research partners are successful.
Research Proposals Submitted for Funding to Grant Agencies
The WCWC has initiated partnerships with researchers from the University of Waterloo, supported the grant proposals and has also expressed its intent to work in partnership with those researchers if the proposals are awarded grants.
Descriptions of the projects and the WCWC's contribution are presented below.
Pilot scale testing of biofiltration as a pretreatment to ceramic membrane
Principal Investigator: Dr. Peter Huck, University of Waterloo
Project Description: The project will develop the use of biofiltration, a "green" technology, to reduce fouling in membranes used for drinking water and water reuse.
WCWC Contribution: The contribution of WCWC in this project will include allowing the use of equipment and covering the costs of work being conducted in the WCWC Research and Technology Institute Facility by a graduate student. It is a 5 year project that will start in the summer of 2011. Involvement of the WCWC will be in the first 2 years.
Grant Agency: The grant proposal was submitted to Ontario Research Fund (ORF) Water round program and the results of this competition will likely be announced in late spring, 2011.
Fluorescence spectroscopy in drinking water monitoring and process optimization
Principal Investigator: Dr. Hector Budman, University of Waterloo
Project Description: This project will further develop the use of fluorescence spectroscopy applied in drinking water monitoring and process optimization. If successful, this technology will provide a better understanding of the water matrix and will be a valuable tool to monitor and optimize drinking water treatment processes.
WCWC contribution: WCWC will be involved in the pilot testing of the technology using the different processes in the Research and Technology Institute Facility.
Grant Agency: The grant proposal was submitted to Idea to Innovation NSERC Grant.
New Research Initiatives
The WCWC plans to start the following two new research projects:
Full scale investigation of the performance of slow sand process
This research will investigate the performance of selected full scale slow sand plants across Ontario focusing on disinfection by-products and removal of other contaminants. This research will aim to identify and test the performance of candidate technologies that will make the modified slow sand process a multi contaminant removal technology.
The WCWC will develop this research proposal; seek potential project partners and funding.
The risk factor associated with the project is to secure authorization to sample full scale plants, to find partners and funding.
The WCWC plans to submit this grant proposal in 2011/2012.
Comparative study to investigate the performance of slow sand, conventional treatment and dissolved air flotation
This research will be a side by side comparison of slow sand, conventional and modified conventional treatment using the dissolved air flotation process as clarifier. The research will focus on factors such as contaminant removal, disinfection by-products formation and energy used.
The WCWC will initially run the preliminary experiments in house. If the results warrant further research, WCWC will develop a research proposal and seek project partners and funding.
Continuation of Existing Research Projects
The third and last experimental phase of the Res'eau Waternet project will be conducted. This phase involves investigating the performance of modified slow sand assisted with advanced oxidation processes (Ozone/H2O2 and UV/H202) to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation.
Research Priorities
The WCWC has a special responsibility to support small systems. In addition, the facilities at the Centre are most suited to research related to small systems. Therefore, the overall priority is to conduct practical research that will benefit small water systems.
Given pressures on all water systems, related to costs of operations including energy and chemicals, there is a need for additional research and development of robust water systems that are easy to operate/maintain and that have lower inputs of energy and/or chemicals. In Ontario, the needs of remote systems are a specific driver for these types of systems.
The WCWC will also support the development of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) by the province.
Finally, water technology companies in Ontario may have specific needs for practical research and development of their products to get them to market. These requests, as appropriate, will be an important driver for the allocation of research effort at the Centre.
