Helping ensure safe and sustainable drinking water for a growing population is the goal of almost $11 million in research grants awarded to the University of Guelph.
The funding comes from the federal government and local government and industry partners, the U of G said in a news release.
"The new funding will enable U of G investigators monitoring local bedrock aquifer wells to learn more about groundwater and its interaction with surface water – information that will ultimately help the City of Guelph and nearby municipalities manage resources more sustainably," said engineering professor Beth Parker in the release.
“I am thrilled to see that funding is being applied for groundwater research, given that Guelph’s water supply originates from groundwater,” said Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield in the release. “It will be helpful to further this research, including cold geothermal heating and cooling of buildings in our downtown, and apply these studies to other communities in Canada, including our First Nations.”
Malcolm Campbell, U of G vice-president (research), said "this generous funding in support of a research superstar and her team will fuel important discoveries and catalyze impactful innovations aimed at underpinning the safety of our local drinking water supply."
Parker directs the U of G-based G360 Institute for Groundwater Research, which studies complex local aquifers, including how natural features protect this water resource and how wells affect groundwater.
Nestlé Waters Canada has also provided research funding for the G360 institute for several years, including $460,000 in 2016 to examine groundwater sustainability in southern Wellington County. The company also provided $200,000 in 2018 for drilling work in Puslinch Township.
