Research builds our urban community

When we turn on the tap or flush the toilet, we don’t usually give much thought to where the water comes from or where it’s going. But municipal wastewater treatment can be extremely expensive, and the higher the level of treatment, the cleaner the effluent and the smaller the impact on the environment. Even so, Calgary treats its wastewater three times —more than many Canadian cities— before returning it to the Bow River. The Bow is the city’s primary source of drinking water, which also feeds into the water sources of several communities downstream. To further its commitment to clean water for Albertan communities, the city is partnering with the University of Calgary on a unique research program called Advancing Canadian Wastewater Assets that will help improve existing wastewater treatment methods and alleviate some of the financial burden on Canadian municipalities.