Plans in the pipeline for CRD sewage treatment; What residents can expect between now and next year's deadline for final strategy
Times Colonist (Victoria)
Mon 11 Aug 2008
Page: A7
Section: Comment
Byline: Chris Clement
Source: Special to Times Colonist
In early July 2008, the Capital Regional District received an extension from the province for the delivery of the amendment to the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan.

The amendment is now due on Dec. 31, 2009. The one-year extension by the Minister of Environment has given the CRD a valuable opportunity to research several important issues pertaining to wastewater treatment in the core area, which includes the municipalities of Colwood, Esquimalt, Langford, Oak Bay, Saanich, Victoria and View Royal.

The extra time will lead to significant steps forward in the months to come. Through the fall of 2008 and into the early spring of 2009, the CRD will continue its research of integrated resource management strategies, including water reuse, energy and heat recovery and greenhouse-gas-reduction methods.

Sustainable practices are of utmost importance to the CRD. The additional time for detailed analysis will help determine how these strategies can be implemented.

The CRD's integrated resource management strategy will seek to minimize the total cost to taxpayers. It will do this by maximizing economic and financial benefits through the reuse of resources and generation of offsetting revenue. The CRD's goals are the sustainable management of water, stormwater and solid waste, and their integration with energy planning and smart urban growth.

The CRD will also further develop the distributed treatment plant model in the core area. Distributed treatment involves the construction of a number of smaller plants, which may provide for increased opportunity to implement integrated resource management strategies. The time extension will aid the CRD in a thorough exploration of this important issue.

Source control, a regional program of the CRD's, is also a major facet of wastewater treatment, both now and in the future. Source control limits the amount and type of contaminants entering drains and sewer pipes, thus placing less stress on marine environments.

The CRD's source control program is one of the most comprehensive in North America. Clean water begins at home, and the CRD will continue to ask for residents' and businesses' dedication to good source-control practices, both during planning and after the wastewater project is complete.

A new wastewater treatment project manager, Tony Brcic, has recently been hired by the CRD and will commence work in August 2008. His expertise in both small and large public infrastructure projects, such as Sooke's wastewater treatment plant and Vancouver Island's natural gas pipeline, will make him a valuable resource during the tenure of the project.

Public consultation is an integral part of the wastewater treatment planning process, and the CRD is committed to open and transparent dialogue with residents and First Nations. New information on research findings and the status of the wastewater project will be forthcoming in spring 2009. At this time, the CRD will engage in consultation and education campaigns on its findings and options.

Currently in the CRD, secondary and tertiary (biological treatment) is in operation on Saltspring Island, Pender Island, the Saanich Peninsula and Port Renfrew. The core area wastewater treatment project requires diligent research, superior planning and dedication to public consultation.

The CRD's triple bottom line methodology will consider the social, environmental and economic factors involved in wastewater treatment. The CRD's researchers and engineers, well versed in infrastructure and planning options, will help create a wastewater solution that ensures protection of the environment and the health of future generations.

Chris Clement is chairman of the Capital Regional District's Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee.

Notice that there is not a word about procurement...a letter to the editor about how important a public system is to taxpayers would be great...

Greater Victoria Water Watch Coalition