Leveraging technology to manage water

Leveraging technology to manage water

April 21, 2021

On Thursday 15 April 2021, The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business was honoured - in conjunction with MAPP Africa - to host a vital forum on water quality technologies. Attendees included MP Yasmin Ratansi, Ambassdors, High Commissioners, business leaders and academia.

Douglas Wilton, P. Eng., President & CEO of Pathogen Detection Systems Inc. (Tecta PDS) and Brian Dodo, R.G.D., CEO of MAPP Africa Inc. shared how countries and organizations are leveraging technology to help manage and monitor water quality during this pandemic.
The increased need for higher-priority testing is putting unprecedented strain on lab infrastructure around the globe. This is forcing everyday testing (such as E.coli testing in water) down the priority list, or making it unavailable altogether. Low laboratory staffing, due to mandatory social distancing restrictions, is making the situation worse.
Many countries are failing to adequately analyze water samples during the pandemic, whether due to logistical issues, transportation, or insufficient staff levels.

Technology can help:

  • Deliver fast, accurate results
  • Eliminate logistical
  • Address transportation issues
  • Allow for social distancing
  • Free up labs to perform higher-priority testing    

It's been reported widely that COVID-19 can be detected in wastewater. This means testing sewage could potentially be a simple way to detect and track outbreaks, offering an earlier warning than clinical tests or hospitalizations.

Wastewater surveillance could also detect outbreaks at vulnerable institutions without testing everyone there.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Douglas Wilton, P. Eng.

Douglas is a Professional Engineer with over 20 years of senior operational and general management experience and multiple successes in the development and management of new technical businesses in a variety of industrial environments.

He assumed the role of President and CEO after leading the management buyout of TECTA-PDS from Veolia Water in 2016. With sales in over 40 countries, he guides the organization as it pursues its mandate of revolutionizing the microbiological monitoring of water. Prior to TECTA-PDS, Douglas directed the creation of a multi-million dollar business and greenfield manufacturing facility that provided inventory management, logistics and manufacturing services. www.tecta-pds.ca

Brian Dodo, R.G.D.

Brian is Principal, BmDodo Strategic Design an award winning Strategic designer firm based in Canada and the CEO/Founder, MAPP Africa Inc., a platform focused on helping Africa build its capacity and resilience. MAPP Africa develops projects, and identifies clean technologies that help African countries achieve their Sustainable Development Goals.

MAPP Africa currently have exclusive Africa-wide distribution licenses for TECTA PDS, a fully-automated, microbiology system for performing on-site regulatory compliance testing for E. coli and Total Coliform bacteria in water. www.mappafrica.com




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