WC145 NovDec 2025 - Magazine - Page 16
WATER CANADA AWARDS
STORMWATER - LARGE:
WASTEWATER - LARGE:
CITY OF HAMILTON - WATERSHED ACTION PLAN
WOODWARD AVE WWTP SECONDARY
TREATMENT UPGRADE
The City of Hamilton’s Watershed Action Plan is setting a new
standard for how municipalities can protect water quality at
scale. Spanning four Conservation Authority boundaries, the
plan addresses every creek, river and stream within city limits,
with a focus on reducing non-point source pollution and
improving stormwater management.
Developed through extensive engagement with Indigenous
communities, environmental groups, academia and residents,
the plan outlines scalable actions such as improving road
maintenance and salt management with water in mind.
Once heavily degraded by industry, Hamilton Harbour is
undergoing a transformation—and the Woodward Avenue
Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade is central to that change.
As the largest investment in the city’s Clean Harbour Program,
the Phase 1 project introduces the world’s largest tertiary disk
filtration facility, with a capacity of 614 ML/d.
This leap in treatment capacity is helping Hamilton meet
strict effluent targets under the Hamilton Harbour Remedial
Action Plan, a critical step toward removing the harbour’s
designation as an Area of Concern. By combining scale
with innovation, the project is setting a new benchmark in
sustainable wastewater management.
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GREEN STREETS CITY OF TORONTO
Toronto’s Green Streets program is redefining how urban
infrastructure can serve both people and the environment. What
began as pilot projects has grown into a city-wide strategy,
integrating green infrastructure into streetscapes to improve
stormwater management, enhance biodiversity and create
healthier public spaces.
Led by staff and shaped through collaboration with more
than a dozen city divisions, academic partners, North American
jurisdictions and local communities, the program reflects a
culture of equity-based design and delivery. By embedding
resilience and inclusivity into everyday infrastructure, Green
Streets is positioning Toronto as a leader in sustainable urban
water management.
WASTEWATER - SMALL:
B99 WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE PLANT
The Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Plant (WWTRP) is
redefining industrial wastewater management with a forwardthinking approach rooted in green chemistry and circular
economy principles. At its core is a rare two-pass Reverse
Osmosis (RO) system that produces high-purity boiler feed
water for a cogeneration plant—an uncommon practice in
industrial settings.
The facility also integrates advanced oxidation using UV and
hydrogen peroxide, a SCADA system for remote monitoring, and
crystalline waterproofing technology that eliminates the need for
traditional coatings. Delivered through a Design-Build model, the
project showcases how collaboration and innovation can achieve
new benchmarks in efficiency, resilience and sustainability.
EDUCATION:
AQUATIC SCIENCE OUTREACH
NETWORK FOR THE GRAND
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WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2025
Carousel Media Inc.
AquaSONG connects high school students to local water
systems through authentic scientific research. Over the past
decade, the program has engaged more than 3,000 youth
across Southern Ontario in field sampling, water treatment
design and lab analysis—mirroring professional water research
while fostering environmental stewardship.
By blending scientific rigor with place-based learning,
AquaSONG fills a critical gap in accessible, hands-on water
education. Developed with regional education specialists,
the program has measurably boosted student understanding,
STEM engagement and civic responsibility, setting a model for
transformative, scalable water education in Canada.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T