NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Management and Surveillance of Drinking Water Quality from the Watershed to the Citizen's Tap

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Emerging contaminants, more stringent regulations for drinking water and greater public expectationsconcerning tap water all contribute to the need for more information and sophisticated management andsurveillance strategies. In addition, the decision-making tools for the surveillance and management of waterquality require innovative and effective approaches that can be easily transferred to end-users. The renewal ofthis Industrial Research Chair (IRC) is a logical continuation of previous research. It will consolidatepartnership-based research that addresses the urgent need for municipalities to incorporate tools to efficientlyprotect and manage drinking water quality. IRC objectives will be achieved through the development of amultidisciplinary research program represented by four complementary themes: 1) Impacts of source waterquality variability in the context of a changing climate; 2) Occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern; 3)Revisiting residual disinfectant management in distribution systems; and 4) Assessing smart tools for waterquality management and surveillance. With a robust research infrastructure including full-equipped laboratoriesand innovating field instruments, the emphasis will be placed on collecting, from source to tap, robustspatio-temporal information on water quality, as well as implementing pioneering management andsurveillance models. In partnership with two municipalities, two industrial partners and a watershed agency,this IRC will contribute directly to the training of a dozen PhD, MSc, post-doctoral fellows and professionals,and several undergraduates over the next five-year period. Anticipated benefits include the reduction of thehealth risks associated with the consumption of tap water and better cost/benefit outcomes of financialinvestments in management, surveillance and monitoring. For industrial partners, the research results willallow them to consolidate their expertise in specific areas considered in the program, strengthen their research& development capacities and improve their competitiveness.