“Adoption of Natural Infrastructure in the Water Sector” is a CWWA report based on a survey of its members in 2023.  The survey of 60 questions was carried out between January 27, 2023 and February 28, 2023. The results were collected and analyzed by CWWA’s Utility Leadership Committee and Climate Change Committee.

Water utilities have transitioned through many different materials used for water conveyance pipes over many, many years. One material, used for a brief period in Canada during the 1940’s through to the 1960’s, was cement containing asbestos.  This asbestos-cement (A-C) pipe is no longer installed and has not been installed in municipal water systems for over 50 years.  While there is not an aggressive plan to seek out and remove A-C pipe, it is recommended, and is a generally accepted practice, that A-C pipe be removed and replaced during any construction that exposes such pipe.

Fact Sheet

There has been growing interest and concern in the drinking water industry in North America over a group of compounds called Per- and Polyfluoroalkylated Substances or PFAS.  This fact sheet was prepared by the CWWA Drinking Water Quality Committee and is intended to provide general high level information to CWWA members, while also referencing more detailed sources of information that will help members and their associated utilities prepare their own responses to questions about PFAS compounds they may encounter from their customers, municipal leaders, political leaders, media, and other concerned stakeholders.

Looking for more information on PFAS? Read the PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA’s Commitments to Action 2021-2024

Webinar

Over two decades ago, an international consensus emerged that true drinking water safety is based on the quality of the systems that produced and delivered it, and not on a sample of the end produce. To explore these issues CWWA hosted a virtual symposium on the subject of quality management of drinking water supplies and gain valuable insight from international experience on key aspects and approaches to public health protection. 

A Guidance Document

This document has been created by and for water, wastewater and stormwater utility managers — to offer guidance for addressing the challenges of recruiting, training and retaining qualified staff to maintain a resilient and sustainable utility.

Watch the Recordings

This webinar series explored the  individual aspects of sustainable utilities followed by a final panel discussion that tied together the disparate aspects together, and explored how we balance conflicting priorities to create a sustainable utility.

A Guidance Document for water, wastewater and stormwater utilities

In developing this Guidance Document, substantial thought has gone into structuring the topics, including laying out challenges, best practices and resources. It also sets out a helpful framework, particularly for those of you just wading into this work toward having a sustainable utility.  Even the selected challenges are structured, beginning with the operational aspects within a utility’s domain, moving into global ones related to operations, followed by ones that pertain to taking on a role to influence others. 

On March 8, 2019, Health Canada released revised guidelines, significantly reducing the maximum allowable concentration of lead in drinking water. While our municipal water sector fully supports these new targets, we need to identify the challenges inherent in moving to these new targets while maintain full public

2017 – The Canadian Water and Wastewater Association conducted a national survey on large-scale pumping system optimization. It identifies what products/practices are used, and what drives investment.

2017 – The project goal was to develop and conduct a National Survey of the Water Sector to create a National Risk Profile that can be used collaboratively by CWWA and PSC. A research study has been conducted using quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the state of preparedness of the water sector and make recommendations for concrete measures that can be taken to enhance resilience. The purpose was to identify policies and practices water utilities can adopt in the short and medium term to ensure a safer, more secure and resilient water supply to Canadians.