The vision was always there.
Dr. Beth Parker
From the early days of the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, founder Dr. Beth Parker, professor in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, imagined the University of Guelph as a global leader in sustainable water research.
On April 22, that vision comes full circle with the grand opening of the Morwick Groundwater Research Centre. Constructed on the grounds of an integral bedrock aquifer in the Grand River watershed, the newly renovated facility is a central part of Morwick G360, a dedicated hub for experiential learning and field research on the management and protection of groundwater resources.
Morwick G360 brings an international community to Guelph, the largest Canadian city almost entirely reliant on groundwater. Some 8.9 million people - more than 30 per cent of the country - also rely on groundwater for drinking water, as do 50 per cent of the global population.
U of G a leader in global groundwater protection, technology
Led by Parker, it is the new home to a team of 45 scientists and engineers including faculty, staff and students, who will bring together academics, government agencies, municipalities and industry. "It is not just a classroom," she says. "This combines field demonstration and testing facilities in a real aquifer system where data collection and visualization enhance the experience and conversation, interactively."
The new facility includes a new classroom; a borehole into the underlying bedrock aquifer part of a network of boreholes in the Arboretum; a rock wall designed to replicate a local bedrock outcrop of the Silurian dolostone sequence that is the source water aquifer for the City of Guelph; and a rock core display.
Research at the institute is divided into three areas: monitoring and remediating legacy contamination from industrial sites; groundwater resource protection for securing safe drinking water supplies; assessing potential impacts to surface water and groundwater from upstream unconventional oil and gas development or waste disposal practices.
The new centre will propel that work in addition to hosting workshops for students and the public, offering micro-credential courses and hosting conferences, all with the goal of making groundwater visible to more people by showing how modern and conventional technologies are used.
"This facility will amplify the University of Guelph's global leadership in environmental and groundwater research," says Dr. Moncef Nehdi, dean, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. "It not only enriches student learning through hands-on discovery but also advances our strategic commitment to tackling grand global challenges - especially those at the intersection of water security, sustainability, and climate resilience."
Since 2007, Morwick G360 has been a leader in research and innovation for global groundwater protection, contaminant removal and water supply management. Researchers have developed four independent technology patents for real-world groundwater protection and remediation challenges.
In 2021, a $10-million gift from U of G alumnus Ted Morwick established plans for the centre as well as an endowed chair. "I have been concerned with climate change all my life, and seeing this building come to life is incredibly rewarding," Morwick says. "This new facility will enable research and education, and advance technology as it relates to groundwater research. I am hopeful it will play a significant role in protecting our global freshwater supplies."
Field-based research with practical applications
U of G has prioritized field-based research, Parker says, pointing to other entities like Morwick G360, the Guelph Turfgrass Institute and the Honey Bee Research Centre. "This creates a natural connection between people and the natural environment to enhance the transfer of knowledge to the community, immediately putting your results to work to solve real-world challenges."
These novel approaches have been adopted by the City of Guelph through collaboration with the Morwick G360 team, enhancing the groundwater monitoring network across the region to manage risks and safeguard the water supply for future generations. Globally, the team has collaborated with 20 institutions in 11 countries including Brazil, China, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.
"Morwick G360 has grown to be a very well-established research group with specialization in characterization and monitoring groundwater flow contaminant behaviour in fractured rock," Parker says. "We've been invited to research all over the globe and received requests from students and visiting professors from around the globe to come here to study and gain international experience."
The G in G360 represents that global impact, along with signifying its location in Guelph and the work it does in groundwater, in the Grand River watershed and the Great Lakes basin.
"Groundwater is a hidden resource," Parker says. "It plays a significant role in moderating our weather and climate, supporting infrastructure while sustaining our ecosystems and communities, but it is poorly understood. Our goal is to change that."
