PFAS In Water Systems: A Canadian Perspective
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) has added a new fact sheet and resources on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water systems to its Drinking Water Resource Library.
PFAS are a large group of synthetic compounds that are often referred to as “forever chemicals”. They are used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products, such as adhesives, cleaning products, cosmetics and specialized chemical applications, such as fire-fighting foams. This group of chemicals is resistant to heat, water, oils and grease, making them highly persistent in the environment and able to accumulate in living tissues, taking several years to decades for the body to eliminate. Due to their persistent nature, the chemicals can enter drinking water wells by leaching into groundwater.
The full fact sheet and related resources can be accessed free of charge through the Drinking Water Resource Library, at:
- https://wcwc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PFAS-Fact-Sheet-2021-02-23-FINAL-ENG.pdf
- https://wcwc.ca/per-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas-pfoa-pfos/
WCWC creates fact sheets to share information with water professionals. For more information, or to request topics for future fact sheets, please visit wcwc.ca or contact us at 866-515-0550 or dwrl@wcwc.ca.
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Operation Of Conventional Treatment Processes
Are you curious about the Operation of Conventional Treatment Processes course for postsecondary students? Elliot Jones, Acting Scientist, answers your most common questions:
1.What can I expect from the course?
The course is an excellent opportunity to gain a glimpse at the roles and responsibilities associated with operating a drinking water system in Ontario. It gives attendees a chance to operate, monitor and troubleshoot our pilot-size conventional treatment plant. It also provides hands-on experience in the laboratory monitoring basic water quality parameters, and the chance to work with various on-line, bench-top, and handheld analyzers found throughout the water industry.
2.What will I learn about?
Through this hands-on course, participants gain a better understanding of operating and optimizing the conventional water treatment process. The course also provides an excellent opportunity to become familiar with jar testing at the bench-scale, collecting water quality data, and scaling the learned results to the pilot-scale treatment plant, including the necessary skills required for setting up chemical feed systems.
3.What do I have to bring?
Because this is a hands-on course, operating in both the lab and the Technology Demonstration Facility, closed toed shoes (preferably steel toe) and pants (no shorts) are required. Bring a great attitude and willingness to learn alongside industry professionals while using specialized treatment equipment to ensure you have an excellent time!
4.Is lunch provided?
Lunch is provided, and the desserts and coffee add to the great three-day experience!
Since 2007, WCWC has offered hands-on training to support students who are enrolled in Ontario colleges that include the Entry-Level Course for Drinking Water Operators as part of their curriculum. For more information on WCWC training, please visit wcwc.ca, or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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Two New Directors Appointed to the Board of the Walkerton Clean Water Centre
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Boucher and Kimberly Mitchell to the board of directors.
Mr. Boucher was employed for 20 years in the facilities services industry managing in the areas of health and safety, risk management and human resources. He was the Director of Human Resources in a multinational company before resigning to become an entrepreneur.
Mr. Boucher has developed or co-developed many corporate and industry specific policies, procedures and training programs, including in the areas of infection control, health and safety and management training.
Previously, Mr. Boucher was Chair of the IAPA Offices and Related Services Industry Group. He is a Qualified Arbitrator and a Human Resources consultant.
Mr. Boucher now owns and operates a private healthcare services company in the GTA. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from McGill University and a Masters in Business Administration from McMaster University DeGroot School of Business.
Ms. Mitchell works in the nuclear utility sector and is an advocate for energy availability and sustainability. She brings a breadth of experience in mechanical design, risk analysis, and industrial cybersecurity.
As an advocate for First Nations, Ms. Mitchell brings her experience in Indigenous engagement and passion for environmental sustainability to the board of directors.
Born and raised in Newfoundland, Ms. Mitchell is a member of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering. Ms. Mitchell resides in Bruce County.
WCWC looks forward to welcoming Mr. Boucher and Ms. Mitchell as the newest members of the board of directors.
Alan Boucher, WCWC Board Member
Kimberly Mitchell, WCWC Board Member
For more information about WCWC, please visit wcwc.ca or contact us at 866-515-0550 or inquiry@wcwc.ca.
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Walkerton Clean Water Centre Supporting Drinking Water Operator Ethics
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce the launch of its first course available on-demand, Ethics for Drinking Water Operators.
Ontario’s drinking water operators hold a position of trust in safeguarding public health and should recognize the importance of highly ethical behaviour as part of their role. This course will introduce participants to the concept of ethics and core ethical values. Participants will review incidents where unethical operator behaviour has jeopardized public health. The relationship between ethics and the law will be discussed, as well as the personal and legal consequences resulting from unethical behaviour. The session will include strategies for creating an ethical environment in the workplace.
This course has been developed for drinking water operators of all levels, but will be of interest to drinking water supervisors, managers and other drinking water stakeholders. Successful participants will receive 0.3 Continuing Education Units.
Ethics for Drinking Water Operators is WCWC’s first course to feature a user interface with integrated registration and curriculum. Participants are able to register and complete the course at their convenience. Work is underway to expand the number of courses available in this new format.
For further information about WCWC’s e-learning offerings, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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WALKERTON CLEAN WATER CENTRE MARKS ONE YEAR OF VIRTUAL TRAINING
It has been nearly one year since the Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) focused its efforts on developing e-learning and the response from clients has been positively overwhelming.
To improve access to training and help slow the spread of COVID-19, WCWC accelerated its goal to launch e-learning and since June 2020, has added 20 courses to its virtual training catalogue.
These live virtual sessions provide opportunities for interaction between instructors and participants and are delivered from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. over two days. This structure has been well received by clients:
“The instructor did an excellent job of setting the pace early in the course. Breaking it up into two half days is exactly the right amount of time to be glued to a computer” noted one participant.
WCWC’s virtual courses are offered at reduced rates but provide the same Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and are held to the same quality standards as their classroom counterparts. Clients have been appreciative of the new training options and their feedback has been encouraging, with one participant reporting, “I have done a number of virtual training courses during the pandemic. This was by far the best one to date.”
In addition to the virtual training sessions, WCWC recently launched its first fully online course, Ethics for Drinking Water Operators, which features a user interface with integrated registration and curriculum. Participants are able to register and complete the course at their convenience. Work is underway to expand the number of courses available in this new format.
For further information about WCWC’s e-learning offerings, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
Read MoreImproving Access To Information For Drinking Water Professionals
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce that a redesign of the user interface for the Drinking Water Resource Library is now complete. Owners, operators and operating authorities of Ontario’s drinking water systems, and the public, can now browse through the more than 5,000 resources more easily and search for information or bookmark pages for future reference.
The Drinking Water Resource Library is an online database of trusted information on drinking water. A variety of resources that relate to drinking water quality or common issues found in Ontario are available. WCWC has curated groups for the most popular searches, making it easier to browse for information. These topics include regulatory guidance, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), arsenic, lead, legionella and microplastics.
The library is can be accessed free of charge at www.DrinkingWaterResourceLibrary.ca or through www.wcwc.ca/services/drinkingwaterresourcelibrary/.
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WCWC Provides Course for Operators Looking to Improve Their Math Skills
Do you need help mastering math? WCWC has launched a new course, Fundamental Math. Helen Liu, Scientist, developed the course and tells us more about what you can expect to learn.
What does the course cover?
This workshop-style course provides water system operators with the opportunity to improve their math skills related to daily operations. Basic concepts will be reviewed, and participants will practice solving calculations related to flow rates, detention times and dosages using the ABC’s formula/conversion tables. The content incorporates essential math skills required for Operators-In-Training, Class I and II operators and Limited System operators.
Will I earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
Successful participants will receive 0.7 CEUs.
When is the course being offered?
A live, virtual session is scheduled on April 8 and 9, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and an in-class session is scheduled on May 5, 2021 in Kitchener, Ontario.
Does WCWC provide any other math courses?
WCWC is busy developing an intermediate-level workshop-style math course. The new course will provide participants with the opportunity to solve calculations related to water distribution systems. It will be most beneficial to Class II and III, Water Distribution and Supply and Water Distribution operators. It also allows operators from other categories and/or levels to practice on questions regarding flow rate, detention time, feed rate, chemical dose, pump efficiency and more.
For more information, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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Noel Kerin Joins The Walkerton Clean Water Centre Board of Directors
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Noel Kerin to the board of directors.
Dr. Kerin grew up in a farming family in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. He is a graduate in medicine and biochemistry from the National University of Ireland and McGill University (Occupational Health Sciences). He holds a fellowship designation from the Canadian Board of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Noel is also a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the Canadian Occupational and Environment Medical Association of Canada.
Dr. Kerin practices medicine in the fields of occupational and environmental medicine. In this field he has worked with many of the toxic agents that affect water systems. He is the lead physician studying occupational diseases at General Electric (GE) and Ventra Plastics, Peterborough, Ontario since 2004. The GE investigation is the largest worker toxicology study conducted in Canada.
His work in organizing national conferences in occupational and environmental medicine has allowed him to work with international experts in the fields of occupational and environmental health. Dr. Kerin has firsthand knowledge of the results of industrial pollution of water in such places as Peterborough, where there was major pollution of the water basin of the Little Lake/Otonabee River system. These experiences have encouraged him to want to work further for our clean water.
Dr. Kerin and his family’s work in the community has involved being a spokesperson for the Lung Association in the “second-hand tobacco exposure in children” debate and an organizer of the Breath of Hope Relay fundraising. He has been a member of and Chair of the Board of the Asthma Society of Canada.
WCWC looks forward to welcoming Dr. Kerin as the newest member of the board of directors.
For more information about WCWC, please visit wcwc.ca or contact us at 866-515-0550 or inquiry@wcwc.ca.
Read MoreTraining Opportunities At The Assembly Of First Nations 4th Annual Water Symposium
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce that it will be delivering two virtual courses at the upcoming Assembly of First Nations 4th Annual Water Symposium.
On behalf of the Aboriginal Water and Wastewater Association of Ontario (AWWAO), WCWC will be delivering Managing Drinking Water Systems in First Nations Communities and New Watermain Commissioning. WCWC is proud to work with AWWAO to make this training available to First Nations Chiefs, Councillors, managers and supervisors who have operational responsibility for water systems, and drinking water operators.
The 4th Annual Water Symposium will be held virtually on February 17 and 18, 2021. The theme of the event is “Protecting Water During Uncertain Times”. Access to safe, clean water is more important than ever as the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the uncertainty facing First Nations with respect to water. For more information about the 4th Annual Water Symposium, please visit afn.ca/2021-water-symposium/ or learn more from AWWAO at awwao.org.
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New Training for Drinking Water Operators, Distribution Fundamentals: Water Storage Facilities
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce the launch of a new course, Distribution Fundamentals: Water Storage Facilities. This course has been designed to provide drinking water operators working in water storage facilities with fundamental skills related to equipment, routine maintenance, and legal requirements for secondary disinfection. Through case studies and videos, participants will learn how to safely operate and maintain storage facility equipment. The course will also include an overview of regulatory requirements and an introduction to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
This course is ideal for distribution operators with minimal experience working in water storage facilities. The content may also be of interest to distribution operators looking to improve their skills performing various operational and maintenance activities on equipment used in the distribution system.
Successful participants will receive 0.7 Continuing Education Units.
The first virtual session is scheduled on March 2 and 3, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The live session will provide opportunities for interaction between the instructor and participants. Participants will require access to a computer with internet connection, a camera and microphone. A course manual will be couriered to each participant prior to the session. The cost to register is $245.00 + HST.
For more information, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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