CLEAR AS ICE
‘Clear as Ice’ is a youth-led research project tackling a real-world challenge: How to purify water in near-freezing temperatures. There is very little industry experience producing drinking water from high colour 1.2°C raw water. Through experiments testing coagulant dosages, the project has proved that drinking water can be produced from high colour 1.2°C raw water.
The project has also developed a laboratory procedure to lower the temperature of the raw water samples to 1.2°C while flocculating and settling the water.
Clear as Ice Research
At around 5°C, conventional water treatment methods struggle—pollutant particles don’t bond or settle easily, leaving water murky and unsafe. Through a series of hands-on experiments, this project investigates the optimal coagulant dosages required to produce floc that settles effectively in cold climates. The results—measured through colour —aim to inform treatment strategies in cold regions, and the research findings are open to the public.
Recognition
The Clear As Ice research has been recognized by Napier-Reid Ltd. — A leading company in the Canadian water treatment industry since 1950. The company will be using the research to improve their water treatment process, especially for communities in northern Canada.
About Us
Nicole Otton, the lead researcher, is a 17-year-old high school student in Toronto, Canada. As a sailor she competes at an international level, she also loves skiing, so living close to water or ice she developed a love for both at an early age. Nicole has always been very interested in STEM and is always building things in her basement. Nicole was inspired to create 'Clear as Ice' as a natural progression of her love of water , ice and STEM.