"It’s the 21st century. There’s just no reason that you can think of to be putting raw sewage into the ocean anymore" Judy Brownoff, Chair CRD Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee. (Focus Magazine January 2010)
Since the ‘90s CRD knew it must move forward on secondary treatment. A March 31, 1998 letter from the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks raised a couple of key comments:
Some of the earlier reports I read as a new director showed that prior to the outfalls being extended to a new area, there was abundant fish and marine life. Today, after the extension of the outfalls, marine life is significantly reduced but an abundance of polycheate worms that thrive only in heavily polluted areas and "chunky" deformed mussels dominate.
In a March 26, 2003 letter addressed to me as then CRD Board Chair, the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection raised these comments:
Many letters from both the Federal and Provincial Governments over the years; but it would take a mandate from the Provincial Government and new regulations for the protection of fish habitat from the Federal Government to move the CRD forward to complete a secondary treatment plan with timelines and a business plan. Let me be clear, I support secondary treatment and will continue to work to see that this is completed in an environmental and financially sustainable way.
The amendment outlines system specifications, including the number, location and type of treatment plants based on an integrated, distributed model for the West Shore, Esquimalt, Victoria, View Royal, Oak Bay and Saanich. The chosen system meets regulatory requirements today while providing flexibility to take advantage of future changes in technology and region-wide resource recovery opportunities.
For a number of years I have supported looking at resource recovery in our waste operations. Liquid waste is increasingly being recognized as a resource from which nutrients, energy and water may be recovered and reused. Resource recovery can help offset a portion of the costs associated with liquid waste management. I have supported water and energy capture with this project. In 2008-2009 CRD completed extensive evaluations of resource recovery opportunities. Knowing that taxpayers money will help fund this project, we needed to ensure that whatever opportunities we selected would have environmental, financial and social benefits (based on a triple bottom line analysis). Thanks to this research, water reclamation, phosphate recovery, solids as fuel for cement kilns and bio-methane generation are now in the plan amendment.
I’m particularly excited about being able to capture phosphate: this technology was developed at UBC, has been piloted in Edmonton and reaps a payback of investment in less than five years. Phosphate, a component of urine, is a product in agriculture fertilizer.
Total annual resource recovery revenues are estimated at $5.7 million by 2030 and $13 million by 2065. The market for resources is being investigated and capital works will be included in the initial construction, to provide further opportunity as markets develop.
In a December 21, 2009 letter from the Governor of the State of Washington, Christine Gregoire she states: "I am extremely impressed with the extensive resource recovery that you are considering in your secondary treatment program. It also reinforces the commitment that the state of Washington and the Province of British Columbia have made to work together to reduce greenhouse gases and achieve a sustainable environment."
Technology is changing, rapidly. I cannot tell you how many calls, emails and letters I have received this year about the latest and greatest technology in the wastewater industry!
The taxpayers have over $3,000,000,000 invested in the current infrastructure. During the planning process CRD looked at the current infrastructure and whether we could recycle and reuse components to help reduce extra costs. One such opportunity is not to use trucks to transport bio solids but put them back into the pipes and ship them to where they will be treated. True CRD philosophy: Recycle and Reuse!
Current technology that we have looked at can reach tertiary level (higher level of removal of contaminants) in a small footprint, disinfection
(ultra violet for reuse component to produce reclaimed water), and heat energy to be recovered from effluent. When CRD goes out for request
for proposals we will see what "proven" technology companies will bring forward.
Saanich East/North Oak Bay “liquids only” facility will see this state of the art technology used. No trucks to transport bio solids as they will be sent through pipes to where they will be treated plus opportunities for water and energy reuse.
Household costs annually, are estimated at $250-450, this will depend on the municipality and structure of cost sharing agreements. Saanich has a Utility Bill for water and sewer charges which is based on a "conservation" model - the less you use the less you pay! Saanich residents on septic fields will not be contributing to the construction and operating costs associated with this wastewater project.
Funding partnerships for this project have been a driving force for me. Both the Federal and Provincial Governments have committed their one-third share to this project. I also know that every jurisdiction across Canada will be required to meet these new Federal standards, and they will all be looking for Federal assistance. We will complete these funding agreements in 2010!
There is much to do in 2010 – finalizing the West Shore system; more community discussions in Esquimalt, Victoria, West Shore and Saanich; business case scenario, decisions on procurement and more. Completion of all components is set for 2016.
For all the history and future developments go to: www.wastewatermadeclear.ca
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