SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
The demands that contemporary society places on water resources are immense: water safe to drink; water for agriculture and industrial processes; water for recreation. And when water has been consumed, used or processed, the wastewater must be treated, and runoff must be managed to prevent contaminating the environment and endangering the water supply. Meeting these requires the development of technology in all these areas.
High-impact research
Centre for Water Resources Studies
The Centre for Water Resources Studies (CWRS) was established in 1981 by the Faculty of Engineering to pool the research resources of Dalhousie University to address real challenges faced by the community and provide a platform for the development and appropriate application of water technology; water quality analysis and advancement; and outreach through knowledge transfer to our stakeholders.
From trash to treasure: Sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment
The Bioenergy and Bioproducts Research Lab focuses on converting abundantly available biomass waste into materials for environmental remediation applications, primarily wastewater treatment. The converted waste can adsorb pollutants and contaminants from wastewater or be used as photocatalysts to degrade pollutants in water.
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Blazing a trail for others to follow
Dr. Graham Gagnon and his team at the Centre for Water Resource Studies have been instrumental in guiding the formation of the Atlantic First Nation Water Authority, the first Indigenous owned and operated water and wastewater utility in Canada. The CWRS meets regularly with both the Legislative team with Indigenous Services Canada and the Assembly of First Nation’s legal counsel as advisors on technical considerations for the new Act and eventual Regulations.
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Freshwater research supports water security in Canada’s Arctic communities
The modelling tool developed by Dr. Medeiros is directly supporting access to clean water in Arctic communities. By forecasting their future water requirements, communities will be able to improve municipal planning and engineering for freshwater supply services.
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Exceptional student experience
Sustain the environment for future generations
From ensuring our drinking water is clean to remediation of environmental hazards involving soil and air pollution, Environmental Engineering will enable you to develop technical solutions to protect and improve the quality of the environment and environmental-related quality of human life.
Integrated Environmental Management
Graduates of the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) major gain a strong scientific background and enhance their analytical and critical thinking skills, allowing them to practically and creatively address key issues facing the world today, including new and renewable energy sources, resource and waste management affecting our environment and clean water.
Now in its tenth year, the Ecolympics encourages students living in residence to reduce their individual and collective environmental footprint
The annual Ecolympics competition is designed to help reduce energy and water consumption in residences. During the two-week competition each residence is challenged to decrease their energy and water consumption and take other sustainable actions.
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Civic university with global impact
Enhancing resilience in Canada's water sector
Dalhousie’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Initiative is joining with several organizations to research ways to enhance the resilience of Canada’s water sector. “The CIP Initiative at Dalhousie is doing work of national significance in water security,” says Dr. Kevin Quigley, director of the School of Public Administration and principal investigator of the CIP Initiative. “We will help to determine the risks associated with water supply and how to address them.”
Engineering panel explores solutions for Indigenous communities struggling to access clean water
Faculty of Engineering hosted a panel discussion that explored how Indigenous communities are impacted by water infrastructure and accessibility issues. Watch the full video of the Engineering IMPACT event Water & Indigenous Communities on YouTube.
Foundation for inclusion and distinction
Reducing water consumption
The university has completed many water efficiency projects such as adding sensors to older urinal tanks, installing low flow fixtures and toilets for new and existing buildings, adding rain water cisterns in new buildings, and retrofitting large research water units to recycle water (Aquatron).
Dalhousie is slowing down storm water using the natural environment and innovative building practices
Developing ways to retain, filter, infiltrate, and re-use stormwater is something Dalhousie University has been implementing as part of new development and renovation projects. Plant material plays a large role in filtering pollutants, slowing the flow of water, and removing water through the process of evaporation.