News

Researchers have answered key questions to help prevent damage and improve the safety of hydraulic systems used for pipelines, water turbines and other applications.

The work, led by engineers at the University of Waterloo, investigates a phenomenon known as cavitation, or the formation and collapse of destructive gas-filled bubbles resulting from rapid pressure changes in liquids.

Cavitation is behind a well-known party trick that involves shattering the bottom of a liquid-filled bottle by striking its open top with the palm of your hand.

Established in 2012 by Dean Doug Peers, the Arts Awards for Service, Teaching and Research recognize exceptional contributions made by faculty, staff and students in the Faculty of Arts. This year, two Water Institute members were awarded the Arts Award for Excellence in Research:  Roy Brouwer, professor in Economics and the executive director of the Water Institute, and Daniel Henstra, professor in Political Science. 

The Faculty of Arts wrote:

Professor Michel Fich helps paint the most complete picture ever of how water ends up on newly forming planets

Water is essential for life as we know it – water makes up around 70% of the human body, covers about 70% of the planet Earth, has been found in the far reaches of our universe, and is at the centre of our search for habitable planets around other stars.

Agricultural phosphorus losses contributing to eutrophication of surface water is a global concern. The re-eutrophication of Lake Erie over recent decades has emerged as a cautionary lesson in long-term watershed management. Despite controls on phosphorus discharges from point sources, particularly agriculture, and the application of conservation practices on farm fields, harmful and nuisance algal blooms are again common in Lake Erie and affect tourism, recreation, commercial fisheries and property owners in communities in USA and Canada alike.

On Monday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced funding for almost $3M to study the effects of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems across Canada.

Four Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Masters students are the latest winners of UWaterloo's Concept $5K challenge.

In February 2021, Students of the Water Institute Graduate Section invited students in grades 4-7 in the Kitchener-Waterloo area to participate in an art contest called, Water and You. The goal of the contest was to provide students with an opportunity to learn about water-related issues while expressing their creativity by creating original artwork that directly relates to a current water issue here in Canada or globally. This year's theme was WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene).

On Monday, March 22, the Water Institute, together with its graduate students association (SWIGS) hosted its annual World Water Day Celebration.

In the morning session, Sondus Jamal, co-chair of SWIGS, hosted an interactive workshop exploring our relationship with water.

Recognizing the inherent rights of water for global sustainability  

Dr. Kelsey Leonard believes that to protect water for future generations we need to recognize its inherent rights to exist, flourish and naturally evolve. A global movement has emerged in recent years known as Rights of Nature or Earth Law whereby governments are legally recognizing the personhood of natural entities such as rivers and mountains.

Since the early days of the pandemic, Water Institute member Professor Mark Servos and his team have been applying their knowledge of measuring water contamination to help public health officials understand the movement of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – within municipal wastewater.