Fresh ideas need strong backing—especially when tackling today’s complex water challenges. That’s why the Brace Water Centre partnered with CentrEau to offer additional research seed funding to McGill-affiliated teams participating in CentrEau’s Special Edition – Project Seed Fund Program.
The goal: to strengthen McGill’s engagement in collaborative, cross-sectoral water research across Quebec. By supporting early-stage projects that span institutions and disciplines, this partnership helps drive high-impact research on urgent issues such as climate resilience, sustainable water resources management, and public health.
The selected projects this year highlight the diversity and relevance of water research happening across the province.
Forecasting Water with Artificial Intelligence: A New Era for Urban Utilities
Professors Jan Adamowski and Zhiming Qi from McGill University will soon launch a new research project to improve how cities forecast and manage water use. The work will focus on treatment plants on the island of Montreal—areas facing growing demands from urban development and climate change.
The team will build a hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) framework that blends machine learning with statistical models to detect patterns in water use. A central feature, called a “meta-combiner,” will integrate predictions from multiple models to boost forecast accuracy and resilience.
The system will reflect how climate influences water demand by factoring in weather variables like temperature and rainfall. This will help utilities plan more effectively, manage resources efficiently, and prepare for seasonal or extreme weather shifts. As cities contend with climate pressures, aging infrastructure, and population growth, tools like this could support more sustainable water use—benefiting Montreal and other urban areas aiming to build climate resilience.
Filtering the Facts: Study Puts Home Water Devices to the Test
Émilie Bédard of Polytechnique Montréal, together with McGill University Professors Sébastien Faucher and Nathalie Tufenkji, will soon begin a research project to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of household water remineralization devices. These devices add minerals back into water and are becoming more popular as concerns over water scarcity and pollution grow.
With climate change affecting water availability and quality, many people are turning to alternative sources such as rainwater harvesting, atmospheric water generation, or reverse osmosis-treated tap water. Whether in rural areas without centralized treatment or in cities where tap water quality raises concerns, these point-of-use devices are becoming a go-to solution.
However, despite their rising use, little scientific information exists about how well these devices work or whether they might pose risks—such as promoting bacterial growth or releasing microplastics into drinking water. To address this knowledge gap, the research team will test up to a dozen commercially available devices, examining their chemical and microbiological effects. The goal is to provide clear, evidence-based guidance to inform public health recommendations and help consumers make safer, more informed choices about their water treatment options.
As water challenges increase worldwide, understanding the safety and reliability of these household systems is critical. This research will shed light on whether these popular devices live up to their promises—and ultimately, it could help protect the health of communities relying on alternative water sources.
As these projects develop, the research teams will present their findings at Brace Water Day on October 8th, 2025. The event will allow the public and water professionals to learn about the innovative approaches shaping the future of water management in Quebec and beyond.
