SDWF is urgently in need of donors. Every penny and every drop counts!
Unfortunately, all of the funding for Operation Water Drop and Operation Water Pollution kits through the Green Street website has been used. Many teachers are on the waiting list for sponsored Operation Water Drop and Operation Water Pollution kits. If you would like to use the Operation Water Drop and/or Operation Water Pollution program in your classroom and need a sponsored kit please e-mail the following information to info@safewater.org: your school's name, complete mailing address, what type(s) of kits and how many of each type of kit you would like. We will add your school to the growing waiting list.
Canadian Teachers are Waiting for Over 1300 Sponsored Kits to be Sent to their Schools
Canadian teachers are currently waiting for over 1300 sponsored Operation Water Drop and Operation Water Pollution kits to be sent to their schools. Individuals and companies can sponsor kits for schools. If you/your company sponsors kits, you/your company will be acknowledged in the letter that accompanies the kit. You can even decide in which geographic area your kits will be dispersed. Please e-mail info@safewater.org if you would like to sponsor Operation Water Drop and/or Operation Water Pollution kits or if you would like more information.
View Previous Webinars!
To view the recordings of previous webinars please click here. For more information about our webinars and/or to register for webinars click here.
Thanks to our sponsors!
SM Blair Foundation
A big thank you to all of our anonymous donors as well.
Attention Students!
Would you like to let your voice be heard regarding issues surrounding safe drinking water? The SDWF is looking for students who would like to write articles, make puzzles and translate The Water Drop (The Youth Water Issues Newsletter). This year, students will receive small payments for their contributions. If you are interested or would like more information please e-mail info@safewater.org.
IBROM – Integrated Biological and Reverse Osmosis Membrane
SDWF scientists from around the world contributed to the development of the Integrated Biological Reverse Osmosis Membrane (IBROM) drinking water treatment process which is redefining the future of water treatment, not only in Canada but around the world. The IBROM treatment system was developed on some of the most challenging source waters anywhere in the world and produces a drinking water quality which surpasses the most stringent of all international water quality standards while leaving the smallest possible environmental footprint. First developed on ground water at Yellow Quill First Nation it has now been perfected and implemented full scale on surface water at Saddle Lake Cree Nation. The IBROM system can be implemented anywhere in the world and is more cost effective and environmentally friendly than conventional treatment systems (i.e., Manganese Greensand, etc.). When a ten year operating budget is taken into consideration the IBROM is undoubtedly the system of choice, with low operating costs and the only truly sustainable water treatment system available to our knowledge.
Water quality that is second to none - How does it work??
The IBROM treatment system, as the name suggests, uses microorganisms to remove contaminants such as iron, arsenic, sodium, and sulfate to name a few, instead of using oxidants or chemicals that are commonly used in conventional treatment systems. Conventional treatment systems rely on various chemicals to oxidize the contaminants that are found in source waters; these chemicals are often fruitless when dealing with very poor source waters. Therefore, instead of using chemicals/oxidants, the IBROM system utilizes naturally occurring bacteria, in a controlled environment, to remove the contaminants from the treated water. Following this step, the treated water then goes through a Reverse Osmosis membrane and then slight amounts of chlorine are added to prevent contamination in the distribution system. What’s interesting is that the IBROM treatment system renders water so pure, that the treated water must pass through a mineral bed of calcium and magnesium to increase pH and add nutrients that are beneficial to human health. The IBROM treatment system is currently operational in four First Nation (i.e., George Gordon, Paskwa, Yellow Quill, and Saddle Lake First Nation) communities and is in the process of becoming operational in many other First Nation communities.
Cost effective and environmentally friendly!!
In addition to the health benefits of procuring safe drinking water, the IBROM system is significantly more cost effective and environmentally friendly than the conventional Manganese Greensand treatment system. A quick comparison between the IBROM system and the Manganese Greensand system at George Gordon FN shows the following: biological filters (IBROM) need to be backwashed 36 times less than the Manganese Greensand filters; backwash water has decreased to .4 million liters (IBROM) from 23 million liters (i.e., 98% decrease in water usage); backwash labor has decreased to 40 hours from 1 440 hours per year (i.e., 97% decrease); and it is estimated that over $100 000 is saved each year when considering the reduction in chemical costs, the infrequent membrane cleanings, and the reduction in human labor. Clearly, the IBROM treatment technology is highly innovative and tantamount to this, very practical and sustainable.
Proven success!!!
In 2001, the SDWF was contacted by Yellow Quill First Nation (located approximately 300 km from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) concerning the deplorable state of the communities’ drinking water. Prior to 2001, Yellow Quill First Nation had been on a boil water advisory since 1995 because of poor source water and inefficient treatment equipment. Dr. Peterson (SDWF Principle Scientist) agreed to intervene and undertook a nearly two year long research endeavor where he lived on the reserve and tested, developed, and piloted various treatment processes. At the end of the two years, Dr. Peterson and other SDWF scientists had devised a treatment process that was not only unconventional, but one that actually worked. Thus marked the inception of the IBROM system (2005) and the removal of the nearly decade long boil water advisory at Yellow Quill First Nation. The tangible success of the IBROM can be seen quantitatively, but also in real terms, as it removed a nearly decade long boil advisory that could not be lifted with conventional treatment methods.
AAWTT is a team of volunteer participants dedicated to the advancement of water treatment processes on aboriginal reservations in Canada. Team members will help each other resolve water treatment problems when using advanced water treatment processes. The team is supported by one groundwater laboratory located at Gordon’s FN, Saskatchewan (almost completed), and one surface water laboratory (paid for by band funds) located at Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Alberta. At these two locations R&D into advanced water treatment processes is carried out on a daily basis. Both laboratories are integrated with the regular operation of advanced water treatment processes. Each plant will also become part of the bigger picture where improvements are being documented and shared with other participants.
Operation Water Drop:
Operation Water Drop (OWD) is the Safe Drinking Water Foundation’s longest standing education program! Elementary kits allow teachers to demonstrate to students how to test their community drinking water for 8 parameters included in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. High school kits allow students to conduct hands-on tests for 13 different parameters and compare their results to other urban and rural treated drinking water supplies, a raw source water sample and Canadian guidelines vs. U.S. and EU regulations. OWD is also available in French. The DVD “Downstream” is included in every OWD kit!
Operation Water Pollution:
Operation Water Pollution (OWP) can be taught in science and social studies, OWP kits educate students about the various forms of water pollution, how water pollution affects the world, how it is cleaned up, and what they can do to help. Digital TDS and pH meters are included in the kit and students learn why they are important factors to be monitored and why they should be kept at appropriate levels. OWP is also available in French. The DVD “Crapshoot” is included in every OWP kit!
Operation Water Flow:
Operation Water Flow (OWF) gives students a greater understanding of economic, social and environmental concerns surrounding water issues in Canada. Operation Water Flow can be taught in math, biology, chemistry, science and social studies. Each of the lessons lead naturally into the many other programs now available from the Safe Drinking Water Foundation. OWF is also available in French.
Operation Water Spirit:
Operation Water Spirit (OWS) supports and encourages a greater understanding of Aboriginal culture and beliefs related to water issues. A teacher resource has been added to encourage and support teachers in introducing Aboriginal culture into their classrooms and a session on Aboriginal identity which is very compelling has also been added. There are many stories included for each grade level and the stories are now available in Cree in both written and audio versions.
Operation Water Health:
Operation Water Health (OWH) provides an opportunity to investigate health issues such as waterborne illnesses and contaminated water, and encourages students to do their part to “make a difference”. OWH is also available in French.
COMING SOON!
Operation Water Biology:
Operation Water Biology (OWB) includes hands-on experiments and activities that demonstrate many of the principles of the water treatment process to students. It begins with the way that different chemicals are used and dealt with by conventional treatment facilities and proceeds to show new and interesting ways that natural biological processes can be used to produce exceptionally pure water while minimizing chemical use and environmental impacts.
Operation Community Water Footprint:
Operation Community Water Footprint (OCWF) allows students to analyze how efficient the process of converting fresh water to treated drinking water is in their communities. Then, they can “place their community on the map” on the Safe Drinking Water Foundation’s website (www.safewater.org) and compare their community’s water footprint to that of other communities and take action if their community’s water footprint is too large.
A donation of only $3.00 from each person who visits would help to ensure the delivery of our popular education programs OWD, OWP, OWF, OWS, OWH, OWB and OCWF to teachers across Canada. Currently, Canadian teachers are waiting for over 1300 sponsored Operation Water Drop and Operation Water Pollution kits to be sent to them. Donations will also allow our AAWTT to make it possible for water treatment plants in First Nation communities to produce safer drinking water.
Individual members will receive their choice of the DVD "Downstream" or the DVD "Crapshoot". If individual members provide a donation of $20.00 or more in addition to the minimum $20.00 amount then they will receive both the DVD "Downstream" and the DVD "Crapshoot".
Community and Corporate members will receive both the DVD "Downstream" and the DVD "Crapshoot".
Thanks to our corporate sponsors:
SM Blair Foundation
* We are non-profit, non-governmental, registered Canadian charity #868384892 and we issue official receipts for income tax purposes for donations of $10.00 or more.
IBROM
