Did you know that there is a competition for the best water in Quebec? The water in the cities of Gatineau and Laval was evaluated in a blind tasting for its taste, clarity and smell, and was awarded in 2024 on this occasion.
Free and available at the turn of a tap, it is hard to imagine that in 2019 around 12,000 Quebecers still did not have easy access to drinking water. According to the UN, 2.2 billion people still lacked access to safely managed drinking water in 2022. World Water Day, on March 22, reminds us how essential water is to our lives.
Although Canada is considered a blue gold mine with its renewable freshwater reserves, the myth of abundance is over. Its quality and quantity depend in particular on climate change, toxic algae, population growth, pollution, flooding and agriculture, while its governance is the seat of increasingly strong rivalries.
To safeguard this blue gold, researchers are mapping wetlands and studying their ecosystems. Teams are monitoring ice jams, improving water supply networks and measuring groundwater reserves. Others are developing cyanobacterial detection processes and treating water to eliminate micropollutants.
Spotlight on our specialists who watch over the water!
