NOVEMBER 2006 ISSUE
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KEYSER FILE
Water, Water Everywhere?
If you think there’s no need to worry about Alberta’s water supply just yet, try getting a water licence in Southern Alberta. The day has come, says water management advocate Kim Sturgess, P.Eng., to develop new practices and technologies for the more efficient use of a precious, life-sustaining resource.
BY TOM KEYSER
Freelance Columnist
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BEYOND THE TRANQUILLITY |
One of her mentors and personal heroes uttered what many people in high places now see as a prophecy. In fact Kim Sturgess, P.Eng., has taken it to heart as a professional mantra: “In the future, water will be more important to Albertans than oil and gas.”
Former premier Peter Lougheed first made the remark. And these days water resource management has, sure enough, become a hot-button issue.
It’s also a matter of great personal and professional concern to Ms. Sturgess, a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineers who also sits on APEGGA Council. As CEO of Alberta WaterSmart in Calgary, she heads a not-for-profit organization that seeks to develop, implement and deploy innovative water management practices across the province.
“I live on the Elbow River and you can’t help but notice that the quality and quantity of our water has deteriorated over the years,” she says. “Suddenly people are awakening to the fact that many of these issues are more urgent than most of us realized.”
No argument there. Last August, for example, the provincial government startled many of us out of our complacency by announcing that no further water licences would be issued for the Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan rivers. Demand for industrial, agricultural and residential water access is rapidly outstripping supply.
Ms. Sturgess and her brainchild haven’t wasted time since coming on stream in January. Her scope is broad, her ambitions lofty. But, based on her professional track record in product development and senior administration, you’d be wise not to bet against her.
New Ground for Groundwater
Alberta WaterSmart is already moving forward on a number of fronts. As you read
this, for example, the team is working with the Energy Innovation Network, or
Energy INet, to encourage energy companies to explore recycling the groundwater
that’s a byproduct of drilling natural gas.
These subterranean waters are laden with brine, hydrocarbons and other impurities, and today they must be disposed of as waste, in accordance with provincial regulations.
“However, there may be an opportunity to take that groundwater, purify it via some of the exciting new membrane technologies that are out there, and give it to the farmer for irrigation,” Ms. Sturgess says.
This would be a frontal assault on traditional attitudes, as well as official water policy. But challenges like those only whet Ms. Sturgess’s enthusiasm.
“What an opportunity this is to work with the Alberta Energy and Utilities
Board, Alberta Environment, energy companies and farmers to try to come up with
a solution that works for everybody,” she says.
On another front, Alberta WaterSmart is working with residential home builders
to develop conservation strategies for the homes of tomorrow.
“One simple idea: Make a minor change in residential plumbing systems, take the water that comes out of your shower or bathroom sink, capture it and filter it, then direct it into your toilet for flushing,” Ms. Sturgess suggests. “Our math tells us that such a simple change could decrease household water consumption by as much as 30 per cent.”
Ripples of Knowledge
Alberta WaterSmart also includes an education and awareness component, and sets
out to create what Ms. Sturgess describes as a readily accessible “knowledge
portal.” It will bring together the vast amount of literature and data
accumulating on the subject.
“There are hundreds of groups in Alberta interested in water issues,” Ms. Sturgess points out. “We’re part of a community which needs to be linked together. We’re working with IBM, our technological partner, to develop an open-source place where people can find everything they need to know.”
Ultimately, she hopes to add commercialization to the mix. It’s something that’s always been close to her heart.
“I love to commercialize technologies,” she says. “And there will be great ideas emerging from this work. We’d like to set up a value-added corporation, where people with ideas can come and get some coaching, start-up funds and venture capital.”
She’s done it before. As former president of a company called Revolve Technologies Inc., she and her team developed and marketed a revolutionary process for designing, installing and servicing magnetic bearings and dry gas seals.
Revolve rapidly grew into a multi-million-dollar corporation, and it was eventually sold to the world’s largest bearing company.
“Intelligent water management can lead to economic benefits as well as social benefits,” Ms. Sturgess concludes. “If we can develop some good business ideas along the way and get them launched, so much the better.”