The water body I feel most connected to is the Grand River, more specifically, the Speed River, a tributary flowing into the Grand. As a child, I grew up in the city of Guelph, Ontario. Something to know about Guelph is just how environmentally conscious it is. I was raised among people and a culture that prioritized protecting the environment and local waterways.

I can still recall the many picnics I had with my family along the Speed River, feeding the geese as they swam by. As I grew older, I wanted to sustain that part of my life by giving back to the community through science and knowledge. Although I moved away to Hamilton, Ontario to continue my undergraduate studies, I wanted to remain connected to Guelph and the values it instilled in me during my formative years.

For my undergraduate thesis, I chose to examine how the Speed River has been, and continues to be, impacted by local wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). More specifically, I studied how the effluent from WWTPs can contaminate our rivers and lakes with pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics. It was truly heartbreaking to see just how much microplastic pollution was affecting a river I had grown up with. Even worse was the realization that nothing was being done about it.

It is dangerous to see a pollutant that is slowly becoming more prevalent over time be brushed off simply because it is not clearly visible. Microplastics can have a wide range of harmful effects, not only on humans but also on our local ecosystems. By entering our food webs, they can harm invertebrates by causing blockages in their digestive tracts, leaching toxic additives, and more. Studies are also coming out exploring the potential effects that it can have on humans.

The results from my study showed that one prominent source of microplastic contamination was through WWTPs, with higher concentrations of microplastics found in areas closer to treatment plants compared to more distant sites. With these findings, and with my co-supervisor preparing to publish her paper on how microplastics accumulate in our waterways and impact wildlife, I hope not only to raise awareness within my community but also to contribute evidence that supports the creation of stricter legislation to prevent microplastic pollution.