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Thesis Defence: Evaluation of Water Systems In Small Remote Indigenous Communities: A Risk Management Framework

February 26 at 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Juan Pablo Ávila Flórez, supervised by Rehan Sadiq, will defend their thesis titled “Evaluation of Water Systems In Small Remote Indigenous Communities: A Risk Management Framework” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Civil Engineering.

An abstract for Juan Pablo Ávila Flórez’s thesis is included below.

Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Please email rehan.sadiq@ubc.ca to receive the Zoom link for this defence.


ABSTRACT

Access to safe drinking water is essential for human health and well-being. However, small remote Indigenous (SRI) communities face barriers in securing reliable water supplies as a result of geographic isolation, inadequate infrastructure, and financial constraints. Chemical pollutants from natural or anthropogenic sources, in particular, constitute a significant source of water quality contamination and deterioration. The ingestion of these chemicals may pose threats related to non-cancer (NCR) and cancer risks (CR). When water systems (WSs) provide water with desirable quality, it enhances public health, reduces disease prevalence, and improves overall community wellbeing. There are clear benefits associated with access to safe drinking water, such as increased customer satisfaction, community well-being, more uptake from the community resulting a larger population served and potential economic returns. Exploring drinking water-related risks and benefits is critical to exploring effective management strategies. It offers valuable insights to minimize the impacts of chemical pollutants on human health.

This research aimed to develop a risk management framework to identify, control, and mitigate water quality risks in SRI communities. The study follows a structured approach, which entails three phases. Initially, a literature review was conducted to identify and understand the risks and benefits of drinking water in SRI communities. In the second phase, a detailed risk and benefit assessment was performed. In the third phase, a matrix based on benefit-to-risk ratio (BRR) was developed to guide decision-making. Finally, the framework was applied to six SRI communities across Canada. The findings showed that the risks of two WSs outweigh the benefits, primarily driven by higher concentrations of pollutants, which led to lower customer satisfaction and reduced population served. The developed framework also provides a foundation to facilitate best management practices. It helps identify which primary pollutants contribute to potential health risks, allowing decision-makers to enhance customer satisfaction, improve public health outcomes, and achieve economic benefits.

Details

Date:
February 26
Time:
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Additional Info

Registration/RSVP Required
Yes (see event description)
Event Type
Thesis Defence
Topic
Health, Indigenous, Research and Innovation, Science, Technology and Engineering
Audiences
Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff, Families, Partners and Industry, Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates