COVID-19 Resources for the Water Sector
The spread of COVID-19 is an evolving situation that the Walkerton Clean Water Centre is acting upon.
This post contains links to guidance documents, fact sheets and free webinars related to COVID-19 for water professionals. This list is being updated continuously and provides access to a variety of trusted resources to assist our clients in their search for information.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Ontario Guidance Documents & Links
O. Reg. 75/20: Order Under Subsection 7.0.2 (4) of the Act – Drinking Water Systems and Sewage Works
O. Reg. 106/20: Order Made Under the Act – Extensions and Renewals of Orders
Operator Workforce Matching Portal
Guide for Maintaining Building Plumbing After an Extended Vacancy
Construction Site Health and Safety During COVID-19
How Ontario is Responding to COVID-19
Case Studies: How Ontario Water Wastewater Agencies Are Responding To Covid-19
Effects Of Covid-19 On Ontario’s Water Equipment Suppliers
Public Health Ontario – Coronavirus Disease 2019
COVID-19 Response: Freely Available ISO Standards
Free Webinars & Podcasts
Be a Trusted Source: How to Handle Communication Challenges During COVID-19
Benefitting Your Organization Through a Utilities Helping Utilities Program – OnWARN
Clean Water Act Regulatory Issues in a Pandemic
COVID-19 – A Utility Leaders’ Response
COVID-19 – A Water Professional’s Perspective
COVID-19 Implications to Operations Compliance Training
COVID-19 – The Regulators’ Response
COVID-19s Financial Impact on Water Utilities
Exiting One Crisis and Mitigating Another Potential Crisis
Facing the New Normal for Credit and Collections During COVID-19
Key Considerations in Responding to Coronavirus
Legal Aspects of COVID-19 for Water Utilities
Management System Changes Anticipated Resulting from COVID-19
Navigating Through the Financial Impact of Covid-19
Pandemic Continuity of Operations (COOP) Essential Personnel
Preparing Your System for the Pandemic – Responding to the COVID-19 Threat
Returning to Service: Addressing Water Quality in Buildings with Low or No Use
SARS CoV-2 in Wastewater Monitoring: Linking Research and Application to Meet Immediate Needs
Shelter-in-Place in Response to Coronavirus – Approaches from Two Facilities
Talking Under Water – WEF Executive Director Talks Coronavirus
The Impact of Coronavirus on Water/Wastewater Utilities
Updates on Novel Coronavirus for Water Professionals
Utility Actions to Sustain Operations During COVID-19
Wastewater Epidemiology – Tracking the Presence of Infectious Disease in Communities
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Guidance for Local Jurisdictions
Workforce and COVID-19: Utility Solutions
Building Shutdown & Re-Opening
Building Shutdown and Re-opening during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Building Water Quality and Coronavirus: Flushing Guidance for Periods of Low or No Use
Considerations for Large Building Water Quality after Extended Stagnation
COVID-19 and the Re-Opening of Buildings
COVID 19 – Building Extended Closure Checklist
Guidance for managing Legionella in building water systems during the COVID-19 pandemic
Guidance for Reopening Buildings After Prolonged Shutdown or Reduced Operation
Guide for Maintaining Building Plumbing After an Extended Vacancy
Information on Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in Buildings with Low or No Use
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) Building Water Systems Minimum Requirements COVID-19
Restoring Water Quality in Buildings for Reopening: Checklist
Safely Re-opening Buildings a Fact Sheet for Building Owners/Operators
Safely Re-opening Buildings – General Guidance for Water Utilities
Photo from https://nwmphn.org.au/health-systems-capacity-building/covid-19/.
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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WCWC Enhancing Safety For Training Participants and Instructors
WCWC has resumed in-person classroom training with a new COVID-19 Training Session Protocol to enhance safety for participants and instructors. Stephanie Meades, Small Systems Specialist, talks more about the new self-screening, physical distancing and disinfection measures.
What does self-screening involve?
Participants will be required to complete a self-screening questionnaire prior to the training session. Self-screening will include questions regarding COVID-19 signs and symptoms, travel history and contact with individuals with respiratory illness or a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19. If a participant does not pass the self-screening, they cannot attend the training session.
What can I expect at the training session?
Each training session will begin with a presentation regarding health and safety related to COVID-19. The instructor will attempt to maintain physical distancing at all times, but if it cannot be met for hands-on activities, Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required.
Is PPE provided?
WCWC will provide masks, protective eyewear and hand sanitizer for participants. If a participant refuses to wear PPE when required, they will be asked to leave the training session.
Will there be any extra disinfection measures in place?
Facilities will be cleaned and sanitized before and after the training session. Signs will be posted to ensure policies and procedures related to COVID-19 are communicated to all participants.
How many participants will be in each training session?
The number of participants will be restricted according to the size of the room to respect physical distancing requirements. If unregistered participants arrive, they will not be allowed to enter the training session.
A variety of training sessions across Ontario are now open for registration. For further information, or to register for any of WCWC’s upcoming training sessions, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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WCWC Resumes Classroom Training
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is pleased to announce that it has resumed in-person classroom training.
WCWC has incorporated a COVID-19 Training Session Protocol to enhance safety for participants and staff. The protocol includes pre-screening for venues, participants and staff, physical distancing and disinfection measures.
A variety of courses across Ontario are now open for registration. WCWC will also continue to offer live virtual training. For further information, or to register for any of WCWC’s upcoming courses, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca
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Walkerton Clean Water Centre Launches Virtual Training
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is excited to launch live virtual delivery of four popular courses. Each of the courses will be delivered from 8:00 am to 12:00 p.m. over two days:
- Disinfection: Chlorine – June 23 & 24, 2020
This course will introduce basic concepts related to chlorine disinfection. It will cover chlorine chemistry, its application in various forms, and factors that affect chlorine reaction. Participants will examine breakpoint chlorination, CT concept and dechlorination. Hazards associated with the use of chlorine, safety precautions and safety equipment will also be discussed. This course will be most beneficial to newer drinking water treatment operators with a basic understanding of chlorination.
- Emerging Issues – June 29 & 30, 2020
This course will provide details on some of the most recent issues facing drinking water systems. The detection of toxins associated with cyanobacterial blooms will be discussed, as well as disinfection by-products and emerging pathogens. Participants will also learn about newly discovered routes of exposure to pathogens and recently discovered pathogens that pose a threat to drinking water. Discussions will include current and proposed regulatory information along with proposed treatment techniques. This course is designed for more senior drinking water treatment operators (Class II through IV), but will be of benefit to all water treatment professionals, engineers and inspectors.
- Prevention and Control of Nitrification – July 7 & 8, 2020
This course will examine chloraminated drinking water facilities and utilities with high concentrations of ammonia in their water source that could cause nitrification. Participants will learn the history of chloramination, the formation of chloramine and the basics of nitrification. The conditions that promote and impact nitrification control measures for water quality and treatment, distribution system operations and maintenance and distribution system design. This course is designed for experienced operators, supervisors, managers of water utilities and consultants.
- New Watermain Commissioning – July 9 & 10, 2020
This course will familiarize participants with the minimum disinfection and sampling requirements outlined in the Watermain Disinfection Procedure. Material will address the commissioning process from pre-project planning, construction, disinfection and final connections. This course is directed to new and experienced distribution operators and contractor personnel involved with new watermain commissioning.
WCWC offered a pilot session of its first virtual course and received positive feedback from participants,
“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.”
These live training sessions will provide opportunities for interaction between the instructor and participants. Participants will require access to a computer with internet connection, web camera and microphone, Zoom, YouTube and SurveyPlanet (links will be sent by chat during the Zoom session). A course manual will be couriered to each participant prior to the course. Each course has a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) value of 0.7. The cost to register is $245 + HST.
For further information, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
Disponible en français.
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Resources on Covid-19 Available for Drinking Water Professionals
The spread of COVID-19 is an evolving situation that the Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is acting upon. WCWC will continue to serve its clients and is making new resources available to the water sector daily through the Drinking Water Resource Library and the Helpline.
WCWC has added a dedicated section to the Drinking Water Resources Library containing links to guidance documents, fact sheets and free webinars related to COVID-19 for water professionals. This online system provides access to a variety of trusted resources and features multiple search functions to assist our clients in their search for information.
As well, WCWC staff will continue to respond to technical calls and provide information related to drinking water treatment processes, equipment, operational requirements and environmental factors through the Helpline. Staff will respond to inquiries during business hours, Monday to Friday, as we always have.
Visit https://wcwc.ca/services/drinkingwaterresourcelibrary/ and scroll down to view the folder of resources on the COVID-19 pandemic and the water sector or contact the Helpline at 1-855-306-1155 or helpline@wcwc.ca.
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