Many universities such as University of Waterloo, Carleton University, University of Toronto, and École Polytechnique have collaborated at this pilot plant facility, resulting in 40 projects and 75 research articles in different areas such as coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. Here, researchers hope to continue to reduce the risk of public health issues by constantly monitoring and exploring novel techniques for the improvement of urban drinking water quality.

A study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo looks at the potential for applying bulk water pricing in Canada and uses Ontario as a model province. The study examines available government-imposed measures and policies to control water consumption, identifies the gaps in policies, and does a comprehensive economic study to understand how adopting this approach would reflect on the economy of Ontario. The study also explains how, despite the fact that the impact of applying bulk water pricing will be different on each water consuming sector, the net GDP loss will be negligible. It finally concludes by highlighting the economic and environmental importance of this approach and identifying the steps that Ontario needs to take to move to bulk water pricing.

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FM: What inspired you to be a professor in the civil and environmental engineering department at U of A?
BD: I always wanted to be in academia. However, when I started as a graduate student, I thought working in academia would give me more flexibility to work in the area of my interests. During my PhD at Waterloo, I always enjoyed working with new graduate and undergraduate researchers and sharing my experience as a junior mentor. I also had an opportunity to teach an undergraduate course on wastewater engineering. These experiences made me equally passionate about research and teaching and eventually inspired me to pursue an academic career.

FM: What is the most memorable experience or sparkling achievement you have had at U of A as a professor?
BD: Well, it is not easy to cite a specific memory. However, I always feel delighted when I receive messages from former students who appreciate my efforts in the class. I also get excited for my research team members when they receive scholarships or jobs.

FM: What research topics are more appealing to you and what are the projects you are currently dedicating your time on?
BD: My research focuses on water, waste, and energy nexus. More specifically, my team works on energy and resource recovery from wastewater and organic waste. Also, we look into the impacts and fates of emerging pollutants and their environmental risks in energy and resource recovery systems.

FM: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most of careers as well as many research experiments – how has this circumstance affected your projects so far? Also, can you explain more about how your research group has used the pandemic as an opportunity for their research?
BD: As my research is primarily experimental, like most of my colleagues, our activities were also affected by the closure of labs. However, my team members managed this challenge wisely by quickly adopting the new normal and utilizing their time more effectively. Also, we could take a pause, read more, and revisit our research direction. It enabled us to expand our research direction in quite a few areas. For instance, we did some work to explore how rising levels of disposable face masks in municipal solid waste would influence our waste management practices. I should also mention that CAWQ held several online conferences during this pandemic, which stimulated my team and allowed us to keep connected with other researchers.

FB: As a western regional director, how did you find out about CAWQ and what attract you the most to accept this position?
BD: The most important thing I like about CAWQ is that this is one of the fewest professional organizations in our field that is more student-focused. I still remember the first CAWQ conference I attended in Burlington, Ontario, in 2011. At that time, I was almost finishing my master’s degree and working on a specific topic like most graduate students. That conference allowed me to develop a ‘big picture’ perspective on my research and get to know other people in my field, and get their feedback on my work. Interestingly, I also met my future Ph.D. supervisor there. So, I believe CAWQ has shaped my career in many ways. Now, I think it is my turn to contribute to CAWQ and continue helping young professionals find out their future pathways.

FM: As I understood, your research areas mainly is related to waste management and energy and resource recovery, It would be interesting to know how your research experiments would fit in the goal of CAWQ, which is mainly related to wastewater and water quality streams?
BD: Thank you for this interesting question. CAWQ offers a unique platform for those working broadly in different areas related to the water industry. Over the last two decades, the area of water research evolved significantly. So, just working towards meeting regulatory guidelines is not enough. Particularly, my research focusing on energy and resource recovery from wastewater and residuals, which aligns with the ‘circular economy’ approach that the water industry is trying to achieve these days. I think CAWQ has well adopted this new paradigm of water research. In most CAWQ conferences these days, we have multiple technical sessions focusing on energy and resource recovery from waste and wastewater

FM: What should researchers know about CAWQ in the western region which is not directly shown online?
BD: I moved to Western Canada in 2016. Except for the Western Canadian Symposium in 2019, we did not have many activities. Although we planned to have another symposium in 2020, it was postponed due to the pandemic. We plan to organize more activities in the coming days, including conferences, webinars, and workshops. Our most priority would be involving more students and young professionals. Also, I would like to collaborate with other organizations working in the water and wastewater sectors in Western Canada.