Focus on water tech for effective GHG reductions: report

The report recommends a continuing focus on clean water technology as a reliable, cost-effective way to lower GHG emissions and create energy savings.

Water and wastewater services can consume as much as one-half of a municipality’s total electricity use, and on average, over 30 per cent of municipal carbon emissions are related to water services. Across Canada, emissions from wastewater treatment increased by 22 per cent from 1990 to 2015.

This energy use results in substantial greenhouse gas emissions that can be minimized through application of clean water technology across the full spectrum of water services – from water provision to wastewater treatment to stormwater management, the report asserts.

For instance, generating biogas at wastewater treatment plants across Canada has the potential to offset 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year, which is the equivalent of taking 600,000 cars off the road.

Ontario’s water technology sector is poised to meet the demand for new solutions, across the globe and here in Canada. These companies are making an impact around the world. They are maximizing energy efficiency in water systems, generating renewable energy from wastewater, and harvesting valuable resources from waste streams. And they are ready to apply their solutions to the largely untapped domestic market.

Since 2012, Ontario has supported WaterTAP in its mandate to help Ontario clean water innovators navigate the complex path from commercialization to market leadership. The investment is paying off. In 2016-2017, companies working with WaterTAP realized $23 million (thirteen times the investment in WaterTAP) in incremental revenue for the Ontario economy.

“Our companies are translating innovative ideas into real-world applications,” said WaterTAP President and CEO Dr. Peter Gallant in regards to the report. “In doing so, they are contributing significant value to the Province’s dual effort to create high-value, low-carbon jobs and to grow this critical sector of the economy.”