Breaking boundaries in water research

This summer, a new collaboration will bring together members of the University of Waterloo and members of Six Nations to share a journey along the Grand River. Two Row by the Grandis a five-day, reconciliation-focused bicycle tour following the river from Cambridge to Port Maitland, taking place July 15 to 19, 2026, alongside the annual Two Row on the Grand, a paddling event that brings together over 75 participants over 10 days each July.

Ocean conservation efforts are often guided by ambitious global targets, from protecting 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas to advancing the United Nations Ocean Decade goals. But new thinking co-authored by Water Institute member Derek Armitage and published in The Conversation argues that targets alone are not enough to ensure meaningful progress.

Every year, the Waterloo Wellington Children's Groundwater Festival helps hundreds of elementary school students discover the hidden world of groundwater and the importance of protecting our water resources. This year, members of the Society of the Water Institute Graduate Students (SWIGS) helped bring those lessons to life through a new four-part educational video series created for the festival’s virtual programming.