Water news

U of T Engineering researchers are leading the way in addressing the global water crisis. Our faculty members have deep expertise in established and emerging areas of water research to create robust and resilient solutions.

A grey and green shirt in water.

The inequalities of laundry: U of T research reveals overlooked source of microplastic pollution

A new study finds that handwashing polyester in mineral-rich water releases more microplastic fibres, exposing those without access to washing machines to environmental risks

washing hands in water tap

Drowning in data: Interdisciplinary case study on Coimbatore’s water supply underlines challenges with open data and smart cities

Research showed that posting water schedules online did not improve the ability of most users to understand their intermittent water supply system

water tap handle

New modelling tool for intermittent water distribution systems could improve service for over a billion people

Professor David Meyer (CivMin) and CivMin PhD student Omar Abdelazeem synthesized best practices to create the SWMMIN model

Professor Amy Bilton and her team next to a rainwater collection system in Guadalajara, Mexico

Professor Amy Bilton earns McLean Award for engineering solutions in resource-constrained communities

Bilton (MIE) and her research team use human-centered design to create resilient technologies, particularly for drinking water and agricultural irrigation systems

From left to right: Professor Amy Bilton (MIE), Calvin Rieder (MIE MASc graduate and research engineer), Puwaner Gou (MIE PhD student), Nitish Sarker (MIE postdoctoral associate) and Jordan Bouchard (research scientist, not pictured), are members of the Water and Energy Research Laboratory. The team is seen with the Frodo prototype and samples of their engineered foam, which is used as the treatment media. They are proceeding to the final stage of the challenge. (photo courtesy of Monisha Naik).

U of T Engineering team finalists in NRCan’s Oil Spill Response Challenge

Professor Amy Bilton (MIE) is leading a team that has been awarded $1.3M to develop and test their prototype

A headshot of Maeva Che, she is wearing a pink shirt and has long braids.

U of T Engineering PhD student is working to improve the sustainable treatment of Ontario’s drinking water

Maeva Che (CivMin PhD student) grew up Cameroon and is a researcher in the University of Toronto’s Drinking Water Research Group 

A river basin with visible algae and rock formation.

Engineering solutions to water, food and energy challenges in large river basins

Professor Mohammed Basheer (CivMin) and his partners at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) developed a framework for water resource planning

Professor Hamed Ibrahim (CivMin) poses for a photo by the main University of Toronto gates. (Photo: Phill Snel)

‘Take advantage of the brief opportunity to learn as much as possible while you are a student’: Meet Professor Hamed Ibrahim

Professor Ibrahim’s research goals include finding adaptive solutions to urgent regional water problems

A new study from U of T Engineering Professor David Meyer (CivMin, ISTEP) shows that between the cities of Delhi and Bengaluru, customers are supplied water on 3,278 different schedules, ranging from nearly continuous to only about 30 minutes per week. (Photo: wirestock, via Envato Elements)

Why do Delhi and Bengaluru supply water according to 3,278 different schedules?

New research from Professor David Meyer (CivMin, ISTEP) and his team highlights how water supply scheduling leads to inequity between rich neighbourhoods and poorer ones