University President Peter Stoicheff at the announcement.
New funding for the University of Saskatchewan has the potential to make the university a world leader in water-based research.
The federal government announced nearly $78 million in funding Tuesday morning for a research project aimed at finding solutions to water threats in cold climates.
The U of S will be leading 140 partners worldwide in the seven year research program.
The researchers will study everything from floods, droughts, boil water advisories and degraded water quality in northern climates.
Lead researcher Howard Wheaton says they will be working closely with several First Nation and Metis communities over many of these issues.
“Humanity has a right to a supply of clean, safe and adequate drinking water and we must ensure to balance these rights,” said Wheaton to a packed room at the university Tuesday morning at the funding announcement.
According to the university, 1,000 boil water advisories were in effect as of this year.
U of S president Peter Stoicheff said he believes this project will make the university a global leader in water research. He says already they have international interest in the project.
“Our ambitious goal is to transform the way communities, governments, industries and other regions prepare for and manage these increasing water related threats and we have the global team assembled to do this,” said Stoicheff.
According to the university, this is believed to be the largest water research grant ever funded worldwide.