University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Viruses that combat algal blooms may actually increase risks for people and ecosystems
New laboratory research shows that when viruses attack a species that forms toxic algal blooms, those thick, blue-green slicks that choke waterways and that threaten ecosystems, drinking water, and public health, what results might be even worse than before the infection. The finding questions the long-held theory among scientists that the viruses help regulate the […]
Exploring the future of frozen water
Understanding ice dynamics in the Yukon’s St. Elias Mountains to prepare for sea level rise and protect water resources.
Study finds climate change limits River Thames cleanup efforts by accelerating algal growth
Research taps 150-year-old data set to uncover how rising temperatures are increasing river algal growth potential despite phosphorus load decline.
Study uses AI to improve drought prediction in Kenya
Rising temperatures and intensifying drought continue to worsen with the global climate crisis. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 55 million people worldwide are affected by drought each year — a number expected to grow as climate change becomes more extreme. Through the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Andrew Watford, a fourth-year Faculty of Science student at […]
Model of Antarctica’s subglacial hydrology enhances sea level forecasts
Researchers have generated the first dataset of water flow beneath the entire Antarctic Ice Sheet, which will lead to more accurate projections of sea level rise. The findings are published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The team from the University of Waterloo modeled Antarctica’s subglacial environment. The dataset represents the researchers’ best approximation of what the water flow […]
Researchers engineer bacteria found in wastewater to break down microplastics
To demonstrate the gene-exchange technique to enable wastewater bacteria to degrade plastics, the video shows two types of bacteria in red and green. The video shows the red strain and the green strain of bacteria exchanging genetic material so that the green strain becomes capable of fluorescing yellow. The researchers used this same gene-exchange technique to enable wastewater bacteria to degrade plastics. (University of Waterloo)
Turning seawater into fresh water through solar power
New technology is five times more efficient than current desalination techniques.
Scientists can now remove microplastics from water with 94 per cent efficiency
Waterloo researchers’ new technology has the potential to reduce the plastic industry’s carbon footprint.
Researchers use AI to identify toxic substances in wastewater with greater accuracy and speed
An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Waterloo is using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify microplastics faster and more accurately than ever before. Microplastics are commonly found in food and are dangerous pollutants that cause severe environmental damage—finding them is the key to getting rid of them. The research team's advanced imaging identification system […]