To mark World Water Day, ONE DROP has chosen to raise people’s awareness of problems related to sanitation. As these directly effect the quality of water, they will be the central topic of this year’s edition, held on March 22.
Ottawa—AQUA’s next stop—is a good example of how water and sanitation are closely linked. Though streams and rivers are at the heart of the national capital’s landscape, the city is faced with certain challenges related to its wastewater system, and these challenges are likely to influence the quality of its water.
In the last few years, the presence of phosphorus and fecal coliforms in the Ottawa and Rideau rivers has proven to be a source of concern. The presence of these substances is caused for the most part by the release of untreated municipal wastewater and wastewater spills.
The City of Ottawa has an advanced water treatment system through which passes 99% of wastewater which is then released into the Ottawa River. However, certain faults in the piped sewage systems and heavy rains have caused several sewage overflows in the last years.
To properly address this problem, the city has undertaken to implement the Ottawa River Action Plan, which includes a series of measures aimed at putting an end to overflows and contamination of watercourses.
To find out more about the situation of water in the cities that were part of AQUA’s tour, visit the Water in Touring Cities section.
Published on March 11, 2010