Goal 6 - Research Institutes, Centres & Projects
Research and Faculty Groups
Advanced Water Research Lab
The Advanced Water Research Lab (AWRL) is developing high-performance membrane materials, processes and characterization methods of water recycling and reuse, particularly in the in situ oil sands extraction industry. The research programs in AWRL contribute to the science of polymer and nanocomposite materials in various applications, including desalination and wastewater treatment, energy and pharmaceutical.
Water & Resource Recovery Lab
A project based out of the University of Alberta, the Water & Resource Recovery Lab provides information, resources, public engagement and policy implementation roadmaps for water reuse and resource recovery systems. The project focuses on wastewater reuse, stormwater use and rainwater use. University of Alberta researcher Nicholas Ashbolt informed the recent creation of a set of Public Health Guidelines for Water Reuse and Stormwater Use released by Alberta Health Services to guide water reuse projects in Alberta.
Watershed Science and Modeling Laboratory
The Watershed Science and Modelling Laboratory, led by Dr. Monireh Faramarzi, involves development and application of environmental models to study fundamental and applied aspects of water quantity and quality. The end goal of these models is to understand the interactions between water, earth, ecosystems and humans. The multi-disciplinary nature of our research enables a broadening of the hydrologic perspective and the advancement of hydrologic science through integration with other scientific disciplines
Tracking Change
Tracking Change is a multi-year social science research network of Indigenous communities, universities, governments and other organizations building capacity for documenting and sharing local and traditional knowledge about changes in the Mackenzie River Basin. Graduate students and community partners are working together to document observations and experiences of disturbances to fish, fish habitat, water levels and water quality.
Water Research and Conservation
The Water Research Centre (WRC), a University of Alberta interdisciplinary research centre in partnership with Alberta Innovates and EPCOR, draws on expertise across faculties to examine problems of water supply, demand, treatment, reuse and infrastructure. The WRC works towards supporting water supply, including water treatment, distribution, and quality; water demand, encompassing municipal use, industrial and commercial water use, agricultural water use, and wastewater and stormwater treatment and reuse; and water infrastructure, including water conveyance (surface and pipelines) and storage (reservoirs), urban drainage, and stormwater management. The WRC supports water conservation and efficiency measures as part of their current research goals, acting as a driving force for water research, both locally on campus at the University of Alberta and globally off campus, including community partnerships and outreach programmes with municipalities, Indigenous communities, and industry partners.
Through the Adaptation Resilience Training (ART) Program, the University of Alberta partnered with WaterSMART Solutions Ltd. to deliver applied projects supporting off-campus water conservation and management. These projects included watershed recovery and municipal reuse initiatives such as the Native Trout Recovery Plan, City of Calgary Water Security and Reuse assessment, and the North Saskatchewan River Basin Modelling Project.
These applied projects through the University of Alberta’s ART program are implemented in municipal and regional settings beyond the university campus. The Native Trout Recovery Plan targets the Bow and Oldman River Basins, coordinating with the Native Trout Collaborative to restore aquatic ecosystems and watershed health to promote water conservation. The City of Calgary Water Security and Reuse Project works with the City of Calgary to assess stormwater, greywater and blackwater reuse. Lastly, the North Saskatchewan River Basin Modelling Project focuses on basin-wide community collaboration to model and enhance water management for water users across Alberta.
The University also participates in the Alberta Innovates project, Building Water Security and Climate Resilience into the City of Edmonton through Innovative Watershed Management Practices, in partnership with the City of Edmonton, EPCOR and Alberta Innovates. This initiative directly supports practical off-campus water conservation by developing and implementing watershed management practices and educational outreach programmes that strengthen water security for the city of Edmonton.
Projects
Southern Rockies Watershed Project
This large, interdisciplinary research team based at the University of Alberta is improving our understanding of the connections between the climate, hydrology and ecology of the South Saskatchewan River’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains. The Southern Rockies Watershed Project includes insights into the impacts of wildfires on drinking water and the impacts of land disturbance on water quality.