Waterloo Aquatic Threats in Environmental Research Facility
A rainbow trout swims inside a swim tunnel, which allows for observations and measurements within a controlled environment and water flow.
The University of Waterloo’s Biology department has a newly renovated aquatics facility to support teaching and research initiatives. It uses aquaculture industry style monitoring systems to constantly monitor and control water parameters in various types of aquatic housing systems. The facility has the capability of housing many different aquatic species such as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), zebrafish (Danio rerio), killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus), various Ontario darter species, aquatic and terrestrial amphibians, and more. The facility processes city water using its own advanced water treatment system to process and store chlorine- and contaminant-free water safe for aquatic animals. Additionally, the WATER Facility has a dedicated facility and effluent treatment system for research involving live aquatic pathogens.