It has never been a better time to be in water treatment in Canada. The industry hasn’t seen a slow down since the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year seems to be busier than usual. There are several factors that are likely coming into play in terms of why we are seeing growth trends.
The first is due to ageing infrastructure. Municipalities cannot get repairs or replacements fast enough, so consumers are relying on more at home treatment options to handle contaminants, such as lead. Another reason is due to the rising number of media articles and educational opportunities relating to water treatment, specifically relating to contaminants. This has resulted in consumers aware of how water quality can affect human health and looking for solutions to protect their families.
Drought conditions have also created the perfect storm for water treatment. People are not only conserving water, but they are thinking about which types of treatment can be used to protect the water they consume.
The federal government has also played a role in the growth of the Canadian water treatment sector. More awareness, with the launch of the Canada Water Agency, has shifted the focus to Canada’s surplus of freshwater. Hydrologists are also raising concerns about the quality and quantity of groundwater that is used for drinking water. The rise in data centers has even forced water quality and supply to the center of the conversation, as communities are worried about the rising costs associated with the placement of these institutions. Adding on to the fact that there are concerns with the amount of available consumable drinking water on the planet, the rise in anxieties makes sense.
Water contaminants, like arsenic, lead, manganese, and others, are on the rise and have shifted the need for quality professionals to assist. Lastly, over four million Canadians rely on private wells for drinking water, and very rarely does it come out of the ground without some aesthetic or health-based contaminant that needs to be treated. Compounding all these facts, it makes sense why the water treatment sector doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
Advanced treatment
With the ageing infrastructure of pipes comes the challenge of more water main breaks, or contamination from lead from the old pipes, or just reduced flow possibilities from calcium build-up in pipes or other. Municipalities do a great job of providing quality water to those that are within their catchment area, but sometimes when the water main breaks, they need to issue a boil water advisory. This can be a huge inconvenience for consumers, so some are turning to adding treatment to ensure their water is safe during the boil water notice and they don’t have the inconvenience of having to boil their water. Others in areas of the city where older pipes exist are taking action against lead and adding in treatment to have peace of mind about the water they drink.
The media is also bringing forth other contaminants besides lead and are doing a good job of raising the awareness about other issues like: PFAS (forever chemicals), microplastics, chlorine and disinfection by-products, pharmaceuticals, and other aesthetic contaminants like hardness and scale.
Drought and the loss of drinking water are becoming prevalent in some areas in Canada. The Canadian Water Quality Association provides a drought map monthly so we can monitor how snow melt, rainwater, and other factors are impacting water reservoirs and wells across Canada.
Understanding water-use
There are plenty of online resources available, via the Canadian government, that showcase water-use in Canada. In addition, there are resources that document water-use around the world. Water use around the world is increasing, but it is important to understand that water is a cycle; we will not get any more freshwater, so we need to care for the water we have.
In the last few years, the Canadian Government has launched the Canada Water Agency, which is driving the research, data collection, and protection of some of the key waterways in Canada. They are also the funding source for water projects across Canada. This agency doesn’t directly affect the water treatment industry as yet, but hopefully, some of the research and data that is gathered and developed will help assist with knowledge of contaminants across Canada.
With the increase of other contaminants showing up in water across the country, it is important to know where to go for information about these contaminants. Each province will have a resource paper about the contaminant. You will notice that one of the suggestions to ensure that you are not drinking water with lead in it, is to run the water in taps for two minutes each morning before using the water. This is happening at daycares, and schools across the country now to ensure that kids are not drinking water that contains lead. Should we as a country be able to do better than relying on staff to run the water each morning, yes, and that is where the water treatment industry can assist.
Well water
The other area where water treatment professionals are heavily involved is with well water. Well water is rarely perfect when it comes out of the ground, so the water treatment industry will assist with guiding consumers as to where they need to get the water tested for drinking water contaminants and assisting them with water treatment options for both drinking and aesthetic contaminants. There are even some municipalities that rely heavily on well water to provide drinking water for the cities.
Water treatment can assist with almost any water challenge that is present, but the bigger issue will be, we cannot treat water if we don’t have it. So, as Canadians, we need to think about how we can better preserve the water we have and how to use it better than we do. Canada holds approximately 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater reserves, yet Canadians remain among the highest individual water consumers globally.
What can we all do to preserve the water we have? First, find high efficiency water treatment options; upgrade old water treatment to be more efficient; demand systems, or 1:1 ratio for drinking water devices, or find ultrafiltration devices. Next, think about each time you use water. Do you shut off the water when brushing your teeth? Can you let it mellow if it’s yellow? Does the grass really need to be watered each week? Can the dishwasher handle the dirty dishes without rinsing? Lastly, educate yourself and help to educate friends on where the water comes from, what is involved in getting it delivered to you, and how you can protect it for future generations
Water treatment is necessary in Canada to handle the contaminants that nature brings us, but finding the right solutions from the right providers is the key to protecting the most valuable resource – water!