UNIVERSITY OF REGINA GETS FUNDING FOR WATER CONSERVATION PROJECT

Thanks to funding from the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, Dr. Stephanie Young at the University of Regina (U of R) will be able to embark upon a new project to reclaim greywater and protect vital aquatic ecosystems in Saskatchewan and beyond.

Over the next three years, Dr. Young will design and test a self-contained, portable, greywater reclamation plant for small community applications. The design of the portable plant is intended to work with a community's existing water treatment facilities. The project will be lead by the University of Regina in collaboration with Communities of Tomorrow.

The investment of $349,000, made through the Canada-Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA), was announced today by Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart and Andrew Scheer, Member of Parliament for Regina-Qu'Appelle, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, at the U of R.

"The WEPA agreement is a very effective and valuable tool in funding important innovative initiatives such as this greywater reclamation project at the U of R," Stewart said. "Water is a significant issue and with our economy on a roll, water usage and conservation is very important to the future of all people in Saskatchewan."

Water reclamation and reuse are increasingly seen as viable water conservation methods for extending existing water supplies. Substituting reclaimed water (greywater) for applications that do not require high quality drinking water, such as irrigation or toilet flushing, also substantially decreases the wastewater load into the sewage collection system.

"Developing new technologies that reduce wastewater and reclaim greywater is a sound investment for future generations," said Scheer. "This research initiative demonstrates our Government's commitment to work in partnership to develop and commercialize innovative technologies."

The short-term goal of the applied research and demonstration project is to commercialize the portable plant, increase efficiency of water reuse and reduce fresh water demand and the corresponding wastewater load. Over the long term, the goal is to develop a technology that conserves a precious resource and protects aquatic ecosystems.

The WEPA investment for the U of R research initiative was provided through a Signature grant by Communities of Tomorrow, Partners for Sustainability Inc. (CT), a non-profit corporation. CT is a partnership including Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation and other stakeholders. CT fosters the development and commercialization of innovative sustainable infrastructure solutions for the global marketplace by building partnerships between industry, researchers and municipalities. It also provides funding, market intelligence, commercialization support and other services to help innovative ideas get off the ground.

"Communities of Tomorrow is pleased to receive funding through WEPA to support innovative sustainable infrastructure research and development projects, such as this one," CT president John Lee said. "There is significant potential to generate economic benefits for Saskatchewan by developing and commercializing this greywater reclamation and reuse system, which could result in significant reduction in water use in our own communities, and have world-wide application."

Currently, the U of R is focusing on the key component of the project - design and construction of the portable pilot plant. The expected completion date of the detailed design is late summer. To test the system, greywater will be obtained from select bathroom sinks of the newly constructed laboratory building at the U of R campus, where specialized dual piping systems have been installed to independently collect the greywater. The pilot plant will be installed and tested in the basement of the new facility.

The Canada-Saskatchewan WEPA funds projects that develop Saskatchewan's small and medium-sized business sector, support economic and technological innovation, assist in economic diversification and increase Aboriginal participation in the economic mainstream.

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For more information, contact:

Joanne Mysak
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-975-5942

Joanne Johnson
Enterprise & Innovation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-7967

John D. Lee
Communities of Tomorrow
Regina
Phone: 306-522-6698