The Canadian Prairies endured a catastrophic spring and summer in 2016. A wildfire in early May prompted a month-long evacuation of 88,000 people living in Fort McMurray. The fire melted water valves in affected homes, which filled basements, draining ash and gravel into the wastewater collection system. They also had to deal with concerns about toxicity and habitat preservation. In July, an oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River resulted in a shut-down of the water treatment plant intakes to protect the potable water supply from hydrocarbon contamination. Large-scale temporary pipelines and pumps sourced from hundreds of miles away provided water supplies. Learning Objectives: Examine their own critical infrastructure and plan for "what if"; scenarios. Explore the possible unanticipated impacts from disasters on water and wastewater infrastructure. Assess critical risk factors in water and wastewater infrastructure and develop plans for recovery of compromised systems.
Contributor/Source
Stephan Weninger
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Focuses on a general or broad overview of the topic, awareness of basic factual recall. Limited experience of the subject matter is necessary to understand content areas.
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Mastery of basic concepts associated with an area has been obtained. Focuses on understanding nuances, advanced concepts, and intricacies with implementation within knowledge area. Strong understanding of how the concept impacts other factors or areas of operations.
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