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Join us for an exciting talk by Albanie Douglas on PFAS in Source Water, Preparing for New Regulations (Please register here to secure your spot) at our new Morwick Groundwater Research Centre, 360 College Avenue E, Guelph Ontario.

The City of Guelph is the largest Canadian city to depend almost exclusively on groundwater as a drinking water source. While the City’s management of their drinking water source aligns with the requirements of Ontario’s Clean Water Act (2006), this Act to date does not explicitly regulate PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

In August 2024, Health Canada (HC) finalized their Drinking Water Objective (DWO) at a concentration orders of magnitude lower than the previous federal drinking water guidelines and screening values. As the provinces have been working with the federal government to develop approaches for regulating PFAS in drinking water, it is expected that Ontario (and potentially other provinces) will soon release updated guidelines for PFAS in drinking water, which may align with the new DWO. Given the anticipated decrease in the PFAS guideline, the ubiquitous presence of these chemicals, the City of Guelph recognized the potential for unplanned capital expenditures (i.e., new drinking water treatment facilities). As such, the City decided to pro-actively undertake a screening approach to evaluate the potential for PFAS concentrations in their source water to exceed the HC DWO. This work was completed as part of the City’s risk management and capital planning efforts.

This presentation will explore the process by which screening effort was completed, including the risk evaluation completed for each supply well, the approach applied to identify and select monitoring wells for inclusion in the program, and the unique protocol developed to support collecting representative samples from deep municipal monitoring wells. It will outline how the approach aligns with the Source Water Protection framework, review the learnings and recommendations that have been derived from the program, and provide perspective to other municipalities and drinking water providers in Canada regarding the options and approaches for preparing for regulatory and policy changes related to PFAS.

Presenter:  Albanie Douglas, M.Sc., P.Geo.

Albanie Douglas is a Hydrogeologist and Risk Management Inspector (RMI) for the Sourcewater Protection Program with the City of Guelph. Albanie completed her Masters of Science at the University of Waterloo studying  contaminant hydrogeology. She worked in private sector consulting for over 16 years prior to joining the City in 2021, and developed extensive experience in contaminant transport, remediation,  water supply, and more recently source water protection. 

🚨 We are hiring a Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Contaminant Behaviour in Bedrock Groundwater Systems 🚨

UPDATE: Deadline to apply is February 20, 2026

See full job description and instructions here: https://careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Canada-Impact-%2B-Research-Chair-in-in-Contaminant-Behaviour-in-Bedrock-Groundwater-Systems-ON-N1G-2W1/1290673947/

Interested external applicants should create an account on https://lnkd.in/gA_8JXjR and apply for the advertised faculty position (Requisition ID#2099) by submitting the following materials (in one merged PDF file uploaded to cv):

1. Cover letter describing their vision for a groundwater-focused research program and its alignment with the Canada Impact+ Research Chair program and the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute

2. Curriculum Vitae

3. Brief description of the proposed research program, including a description of how equity, diversity and inclusion has been incorporated into research design and research team, and how your research will contribute to knowledge translation, mobilization and application of research results (maximum four pages).

4. Career highlights describing your most significant contributions to your field, including how they have led to societal benefits, and how they connect with your research plan (maximum two pages).

5. Statement of teaching and mentorship philosophy (maximum one page).

6. The names and email addresses of three references, at least two of which are at arm’s length (not in conflict of interest).

This position is open to international applicants, any citizenship considered.

Please shared widely with your networks!

Are you, or someone you know, Interested in pursuing a MSc or PhD in hydrogeochemistry?

A graduate student position is available starting May 2026, to work on a groundwater knowledge acquisition project (PACES) of the Montreal Metropolitan Community.

If interested, email the following to Dr. Violaine Ponsin at ponsin.violaine@uqam.ca

1) a statement of interest
2) a detailed curriculum vitae
3) a recent academic transcript,
4) the names of two academic referees

Deadline to apply is January 31, 2026.

Please note, tuition fees are higher for Canadian students who are not residents of Quebec: https://lnkd.in/e9589KyM

On October 24, Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute (Morwick G360) hosted a special gathering to celebrate the official opening of its Outdoor Education Patio at the Morwick Groundwater Research Centre, 360 College Avenue E, at the University of Guelph. 

The celebration brought together Dr. Beth Parker (Director of Morwick G360), Dr. Ferdinando Manna, Dr. Jonathan Munn, Dr. Jonathan Kennel, Marina Nunes, Becky Anderson, from Morwick G360, Melissa Woo, from Alumni Affairs and Solinst Canada Ltd. Scott and Jenna Belshaw and Jason Redwood, all in recognition of a generous $250,000 gift from Solinst Canada Ltd. and the Belshaw Family, which made the patio naming possible. 

The newly unveiled patio, equipped with a fully functional monitoring borehole, serves as an outdoor classroom for students, researchers, and the broader community. It embodies Morwick G360’s mission to advance hands-on groundwater education, public outreach, and innovative learning. Dr. Beth Parker, MG360 director, emphasized that the space will deepen understanding of the Guelph aquifer and foster stronger ties between academia, industry, and the public. 

Morwick G360 extends its gratitude to Solinst Canada Ltd. and the Belshaw family for their vision and commitment to groundwater research and education. Their support made this multi-functional space for groundwater research and education, a reality. 

More information about the Solinst Education Patio can be found on our website here: Generous Donation for our New Morwick Groundwater Research Centre!

On Tuesday, April 22—Earth Day—we proudly celebrated the grand opening of the Morwick Groundwater Research Centre (MGRC), a major milestone in the history of the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, 360 College Avenue East, Guelph, Ontario. 

Nestled in the heart of the Arboretum at the University of Guelph, this new facility is an evolution of our original Bedrock Aquifer Field Facility (BAFF), which was first built in 2009 to house field equipment and support early research initiatives. Over time, the BAFF became a critical stepping stone in the growth of Morwick G360, laying the foundation for our emergence as a world-renowned groundwater research institute. 

Now transformed into a state-of-the-science research and education hub, the MGRC features a classroom that can accommodate over 100 people. It will serve as a dynamic space for learning, collaboration, and innovation, equipping us to engage and inspire a wider audience, and to bring visibility to the vital but often invisible world of groundwater. 

At the forefront of the building’s atrium stands an outcrop replica, thoughtfully designed to represent the Silurian Dolostone Aquifer—the primary aquifer underlying Guelph. Constructed by MJ Masonry of Oakville, ON, and inspired by the vision of Dr. Jonathan Munn and Dr. Beth Parker, the wall replicates the aquifer’s layered geology using actual rock types found in the subsurface. This powerful visual installation brings the hidden dynamics of groundwater to life, making the invisible, visible. 

Adjacent to the replica, the building features an installation of rock core extracted from the Silurian Dolostone Aquifer, sourced from the nearby University of Guelph Fractured Rock Observatory (FRO). Originally developed through a MASc thesis project by Andrey Fomenko in March 2013, the GDC-05 borehole was drilled by Aardvark Drilling Inc. and funded by the Ontario Water Consortium and Dr. Beth Parker. 

This rock core exhibit will serve both as a piece of scientific art and as an educational resource, demonstrating key features of the aquifer including lithostratigraphy, mineralogy, and both fracture and matrix porosity. Data from the borehole were analyzed using geophysical and hydrophysical logging techniques performed by Drs. Peeter Pehme, Jonathan Munn, Carlos Maldaner, and Patryk Quinn. The visuals displayed are rendered using WellCAD™ software from Advanced Logic Technology (Luxembourg). 

We extend our deepest gratitude to the generous supporters who made this vision possible, including Solinst, Aardvark, and Haley & Aldrich. Most especially, we thank Mr. Edward Morwick, whose exceptional donation helped make the MGRC a reality. 

This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in groundwater science, one rooted in innovation, collaboration, and a deep respect for the natural systems beneath our feet. We look forward to welcoming researchers, students, and community members into this new space as we continue to explore, understand, and protect our planet’s precious groundwater resources. 

With Phase One now complete and the classroom officially open, fundraising efforts continue to fulfill the full vision for the Morwick Groundwater Research Centre. Future plans include an upgraded field staging facility, dedicated office and meeting spaces, and a rock core library to support research, education, and long-term data preservation. 

If you’re interested in supporting our mission to advance groundwater science and tackle climate change through research, innovation, and education, please contact us at mg360@uoguelph.ca. 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped bring our new classroom to life — the architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, project leads, and all those working behind the scenes. Your efforts are seen, valued, and deeply appreciated.   

This space exists because of you.