A new commissioner of water and wastewater services has been brought in as the Region of Waterloo continues to tackle water capacity constraints. On Monday, the region announced Ishtiaque Tunio would be stepping into the role. He has worked in the public-sector for more than two decades, including roles with the City of Mississauga, the City of Ottawa, the Maryland Transportation Authority, Metrolinx and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. He completed his Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. “I am honoured to join the Region of Waterloo at an important time as we plan for the needs of a growing community and continue to invest in essential water and wastewater services,” Tunio said. “Throughout my career, I have focused on bringing people and organizations together to deliver complex infrastructure safely, responsibly, and with a long-term perspective. I look forward to working alongside the region’s dedicated staff, council, partners and the community to strengthen these essential services and ensure they continue to meet the needs of residents for generations to come.” Back in February, the region announced they had hired Kenneth Brothers as commissioner of water services and wastewater operations on an interim basis. Last month, the region announced they had found 10 litres per second of new water capacity. Another 20 litres per second was expected to be available by the fall when the Mannheim Side Stream project wraps up. Officials said the increased capacity was achieved through infrastructure repairs, by transferring water from Wilmot Centre and operational improvements that strengthened the existing groundwater system.
