News

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.

Is it possible to calculate the value of water in all its dimensions?

Roy Brouwer, Executive Director of the Water Institute at the University of Waterloo (UW) in Canada, adds: “Unfortunately, there are no studies that estimate a single constant global value in dollars or euros, since it depends on scarcity conditions, that vary around the world, the season (in summer it rises due to lower availability and in winter it decreases), pollution and excessive consumption."

Unsolved environmental problems, a national mandate to uphold treaty responsibilities and a new appreciation for positive treaty relationships are leading some water researchers to consider new approaches to their work. They are examining how water monitoring practices that are conventionally considered strong, can be improved.

Schindler conducted numerous groundbreaking studies during his career in efforts to protect freshwater around the world

Exploring our relationship to water during this year's World Water Day celebration. Join the conversation and tell us what water means to you!

Water is fundamental to human health and a key social justice issue. Lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is one of the greatest human health and environmental threats facing the world’s most vulnerable.

Ground-breaking research from a number of Water Institute members has been recognized by the Canada Foundation for Innovation in their latest Innovation Fund grant awards, with three projects receiving a total of $7,615,829.

Two civil and environmental engineering doctoral candidates received outstanding student presentation awards in the hydrology section of the annual American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.

The recently launched Indigenous and Black Engineering Technology (IBET) PhD Project will provide funding to support Indigenous and Black students pursuing doctoral degrees in engineering at six Ontario universities.

Farmers Face Issues With Phosphorus Movement in Colder Regions

Farmers who live in colder environments need to adjust cover crop management practices to avoid issues with phosphorus (P) releases into surface and subsurface water. The type of cover crop planted should be part of that decision process.