- NEW LOOK FOR RSTV.CA
- NEW YEARS LEVEES - ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK SEWAGE OPTIONS!
- VANCOUVER'S IONA SEWAGE PLANT IS NOW FOCUS OF NGO LEGAL ACTION
- CHEMICALS IN PUGET SOUND COME FROM DIVERSE SOURCES
- GUERNSEY UPDATES (3)
- TOILET SONGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
- THE STINKIEST SEWER MONSTERS EVER TO RISE FROM THE DEPTHS
- TALK 11 JANUARY: GEORGIA STRAIT ALLIANCE
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NEW LOOK FOR RSTV.CA
and great new lay-out: http://www.rstv.ca
NEW YEARS LEVEES - ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK SEWAGE OPTIONS!
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Listed below are levees of CRD Core Sewage Area municipalities in order of opening hour. Couldn't find any for Colwood, Langford or View Royal.
City of Victoria
9:00 – 10:30 am
Victoria City Hall (upstairs), 1 Centennial Square
Acting Mayor
Government House
10:00 am – noon
1401 Rockland Avenue
Their Honours Lt.-Gov. Steven L. Point and Mrs. Gwendolyn Point
9:00 – 10:30 am
Victoria City Hall (upstairs), 1 Centennial Square
Acting Mayor
Government House
10:00 am – noon
1401 Rockland Avenue
Their Honours Lt.-Gov. Steven L. Point and Mrs. Gwendolyn Point
Esquimalt
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Council Chambers, Esquimalt Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road
Light refreshments will be served and parking is available across the road from the hall.
Oak Bay
1-2pm at Monterey Recreation Centre
Saanich
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Saanich Municipal Hall
VANCOUVER'S IONA SEWAGE PLANT IS NOW FOCUS OF NGO LEGAL ACTION
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation has recently released a determination that demands a Government of Canada response to allegations from several BC and Ontario-based environmental organizations, including Georgia Strait Alliance and T Buck Suzuki, that Vancouver's Iona primary-stage sewage plant is contravening laws. According to Metro Vancouver website, Iona serves 600,000 in Vancouver, produces 5,000 tons of sewage sludge annually - and has a 7.5km long outfall into Georgia Strait.
While the geography and circumstances of Iona are not identical to Victoria's case, there are some similarities in the tactics used by the NGOs to advocate for their cause. For example, NGOs focus on the Acute Lethality Test adminstered right at the end of pipe:
The Acute Lethality Test determines whether discharge is deleterious by measuring the rate of mortality of the fish that have been placed into the effluent for a 96 hour period. As summarized by the British Columbia Provincial Court, the Acute Lethality Test “involves placing 10 juvenile trout in a tank of the effluent to be tested. If over 50% of the fish die within 96 hours, the effluent is deemed to be acutely lethal. The test then measures how much the effluent needs to be diluted in order for 50% of the fish to survive. If any dilution is required, the discharge is deemed to have failed the test and to be acutely lethal to fish. CEC determination, page 6.
An issue is that this legal challenge relies on Canadian and BC laws that cannot actually evaluate the real impact of the effluent on the environment, but rather just measures "end-of-pipe" chemistry and compares that to laboratory-tested standards.
CEC Iona Wastewater Case website: http://www.cec.org/
Scroll down the page to see pdf documents, including Submission by the Environmental Groups and Determination by CEC.
Related news articles: Commission for Environmental Cooperation asks Canada to respond to complaint about B.C. sewage plant
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CHEMICALS IN PUGET SOUND COME FROM DIVERSE SOURCES
PHUONG LE
Associated Press (AP)
Kitsap Sun
November 3, 2011
SEATTLE — Washington state officials for years have been trying to figure
out exactly what toxic chemicals reach rivers and streams, where they come
from, and how much ends up in the waters.
A new state analysis released Thursday finds there isn't one source: the
tens of thousands of toxic chemicals that get washed into Puget Sound each
year come from many, diffused sources, including leaking oil from cars,
zinc from rooftops, copper in boat paint, and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) from creosote-treated wood pilings and woodstoves.
"Most toxic chemicals are used in some way by all of us. They are in our
homes and gardens. They're produced when we develop land without adequate
runoff controls, when we burn wood, when we drive and park our cars," said
Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant.
"If we want to protect Puget Sound, we need to find and use less toxic
alternatives as we do our business and live our lives," he added.
Thursday's report ties together a multi-year effort to quantify and
understand the chemical threats in Puget Sound. The Puget Sound
Partnership plans to use the results of the assessment to come up with new
strategies to reduce the contaminants and clean up Puget Sound.
"It's wonderful to have these reports because we need to be able to say
definitively what the problems are," said Heather Trim, policy director
with the nonprofit group, People for Puget Sound. It was much more
challenging before such quantitative data was available, she said.
The report recommends working to control petroleum releases from motor oil
leaks and refueling operations, pursuing efforts to reduce wood smoke and
vehicle emissions, increasing efforts to remove creosote-treated wood
pilings in marine waters, and evaluating how many toxic chemicals are
leaching from roofs. It also suggests routine inspections for businesses
that handle large amounts of the chemicals.
Researchers found that the chemicals are released from scattered sources,
mostly in urban, developed areas, and reach Puget Sound mainly through
surface runoff from parking lots, rooftops, driveways and other hard
surfaces. Some chemicals also reach Puget Sound by falling directly on
marine waters, or being discharged from wastewater treatment plants.
The study focused on 17 toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, flame retardants
and phthalates, because of their potential to harm people, fish, and the
Puget Sound ecosystem.
Scientists recently found that adult coho salmon returning from the ocean
to spawn in the Puget Sound region have been prematurely dying at high
rates in the last decade. Although they don't know precisely what is
causing the die-offs, "the likely explanation is toxic chemicals in
stormwater runoff," said Jay Davis, an environmental toxicologist for the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Other studies by government scientists have also shown that copper at the
low levels that have been found in waterways harms young coho salmon's
sense of smell and reduces their ability to escape from predators. Ecology
officials estimate that 61,000 to 140,000 pounds of copper enter the Puget
Sound each year. State legislators have already passed laws phasing out
copper in brake pads and copper-based boat paint. Thursday's report
estimates that one-third of the copper entering Puget Sound may come from
urban and homeowner use pesticides and fertilizers containing copper. The
report suggests learning more about pesticide use.
The state estimates that about 710,000 to 800,000 pounds of petroleum
enters the Puget Sound each year — much smaller than previous estimates.
Thursday's report showed that two-thirds of the petroleum comes from motor
oil drips and leaks on vehicles and roads.
About 250,000 to 300,000 pounds of zinc and 300 to 600 pounds of
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are also getting into streams.
Todd Myers, an environmental analyst with the Washington Policy Center, a
business-oriented think tank, said the most recent study, as well as
others, don't help people understand what do to with this information.
"The next study that really needs to be done is to get a better handle on
what this means," he said.
Myers said state and local government could then determine how to best
spend limited resources.
"This was a baby step, not a big step," he said.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/
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GUERNSEY UPDATE #1: NATURE TAKING CARE OF BELLE GREVE SEWAGE DISCHARGE
This Is Guernsey
17 December 2011
Scientific evidence proves the breakdown of sewage discharge is taking care of itself, the project manager of research into the impact of wastewater from the Belle Greve outfall has said.
Richard Dannatt, of environmental management consultancy Intertek Metoc, presented findings to support the Public Services Department’s proposal to install diffuser ports near the discharge end of the outfall pipe at a cost of £6m. to £8m. rather than potentially spending £100m. on full sewage treatment.
‘Diffusers will split up discharge into individual plumes, which also helps avoid visual slick on the surface,’ he said. ‘At the moment, discharge in water moves quickly and gets dispersed because of tides.
‘The quality of bathing and shellfish waters are of a high standard, which suggests the Belle Greve outfall does not have a negative impact – people think it has more of an impact than it actually does.’
GUERNSEY UPDATE #2: SURFERS 'GOBSMACKED' AT GUERNSEY SEWAGE REPORT
'No need' to treat sewage fully
BBC News
18 December 2011
An environmental campaign group has said it is shocked at a report that suggests scrapping plans for sewage treatment in Guernsey.
The Public Services Department spent £200,000 on the report by UK firm Metoc, which said a treatment plant would provide no environmental benefit.
It will impact on the beaches and it will impact on people's health”
Surfers Against Sewage claimed Guernsey lagged behind the rest of the world in the way it handled its sewage.
The treatment plant would cost an estimated £100m over 25 years.
Public Services Minister Bernard Flouquet said the report showed nature provided effective sewage treatment and the current system met most European and international standards.
Andy Cummins from Surfers Against Sewage said: "I'm gobsmacked. If you look around the world then Guernsey stands out as the only developed country I can think of that isn't treating its sewage responsibly.
"It will impact on the beaches and it will impact on people's health if they use the sea, and Guernsey has some beautiful beaches."
At the moment waste water, including sewage, is screened before being discharged from the Belle Greve pumping station into the Little Russel.
On Thursday the States approved an £11m upgrade to the existing station to improve the screening process.
At the time Deputy Flouquet said this was "an issue which we know many people have strong views about, so we need to have an informed debate".
GUERNSEY UPDATE #3: GUERNSEY WASTE WATER CHARGES TO CONTINUE
19 December 2011
Waste water charges for households in Guernsey will not be going down even though an investigation into sewage disposal has been completed.
The annual charges, an average of £150 per household, were added to bills from Guernsey Water in April.
Part of them was to be used to fund the survey, which found pumping sewage into the sea had no adverse effects.
Public Services member Deputy Tom Le Pelley said funding the report was only part of an ongoing process.
He said there were still water quality problems to tackle including "pollution coming down the streams through the rainwater to the beach outlets".
"There's still a lot of ongoing work to do to improve every beach and every outlet."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
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TOILET SONGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Kitsap Sun
19 December, 2011
Knowing more than a few sewer operators in my day, I can tell you that their leading pet peeve is all the stuff that people dump down their toilets and drains.
I’ll never forget the courtroom description of a giant “rag ball” — some 30 feet long — found in Bremerton’s sewer. Rag balls are the accumulation of diapers, tampons and baby wipes that get flushed down the toilet and become caught somewhere in the sewer lines.
Bremerton’s famous rag ball became wrapped up in courtroom testimony during a lawsuit against a sewer contractor hired by the city to run the operation. For details, check out my story from April of 1998.
What I really wanted to share with you this week is a song called “O Christmas Grease” by Steve Anderson, a water resources analyst at Clean Water Services. This is the agency that manages wastewater and stormwater in a 12-city region west of Portland, Ore.
Steve often writes music and performs in a band when he’s not working at the utility. He told me that he started writing original songs as well as parodies of existing tunes to entertain his fellow water experts at conferences. Last week, for example, he showed up at a conference to help educators decide whether humor is useful in educating people about wastewater issues.
Steve says the public-education folks at Clean Water Services tolerates his songs, but they do not fully embrace his activities. His first song — a parody about the low levels of drugs that make it through the treatment process — got him into a little hot water with some folks in the business. “Dope in the Water” is sung to the tune of the Deep Purple original.
“The Ballad of Betty Poop” was written as a kid’s song for Take-Your-Children-to-Work Day. It’s about the adventures of a plastic GI Joe and other characters. It includes these famous lines: “Give it up, you toilet treasures… You’ll never make it all the way to the river…”
Steve has not released these songs to the public, though he readily shares them with friends and anyone who will listen. I must thank Gayle Leonard, who writes a blog called “Thirsty in Suburbia,” for bringing Steve’s songs out into the light and putting me in touch with this creative force in the sewer world.
19 December, 2011
Knowing more than a few sewer operators in my day, I can tell you that their leading pet peeve is all the stuff that people dump down their toilets and drains.
I’ll never forget the courtroom description of a giant “rag ball” — some 30 feet long — found in Bremerton’s sewer. Rag balls are the accumulation of diapers, tampons and baby wipes that get flushed down the toilet and become caught somewhere in the sewer lines.
Bremerton’s famous rag ball became wrapped up in courtroom testimony during a lawsuit against a sewer contractor hired by the city to run the operation. For details, check out my story from April of 1998.
What I really wanted to share with you this week is a song called “O Christmas Grease” by Steve Anderson, a water resources analyst at Clean Water Services. This is the agency that manages wastewater and stormwater in a 12-city region west of Portland, Ore.
Steve often writes music and performs in a band when he’s not working at the utility. He told me that he started writing original songs as well as parodies of existing tunes to entertain his fellow water experts at conferences. Last week, for example, he showed up at a conference to help educators decide whether humor is useful in educating people about wastewater issues.
Steve says the public-education folks at Clean Water Services tolerates his songs, but they do not fully embrace his activities. His first song — a parody about the low levels of drugs that make it through the treatment process — got him into a little hot water with some folks in the business. “Dope in the Water” is sung to the tune of the Deep Purple original.
“The Ballad of Betty Poop” was written as a kid’s song for Take-Your-Children-to-Work Day. It’s about the adventures of a plastic GI Joe and other characters. It includes these famous lines: “Give it up, you toilet treasures… You’ll never make it all the way to the river…”
Steve has not released these songs to the public, though he readily shares them with friends and anyone who will listen. I must thank Gayle Leonard, who writes a blog called “Thirsty in Suburbia,” for bringing Steve’s songs out into the light and putting me in touch with this creative force in the sewer world.
1. O Christmas Grease - By Steve Anderson
2. Dope in the Water - By Steve Anderson
3. The Ballad of Betty Poop - By Steve Anderson
4. Dont Flush the Baby (Wipes) - By Steve Anderson
5. Fats Oils and Grease - By Steve Anderson
Download the lyrics to all five songs (PDF 72 kb)
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ARESST: These sewage monsters are humorous, but do reflect that our popular culture has pretty deep psychological issues with human waste and tends to lead to expectation that treating sewage will remove sewage and its hazards from society, but in reality, the hazards might be just transferred to the sludge and some left in the treated effluent.
THE STINKIEST SEWER MONSTERS EVER TO RISE FROM THE DEPTHS
Kevin Kelly
There's a vast world below us that most of you know nothing about. How many of you have actually ventured down into the cavernous sewer pipes below your city to have a look? Sure, it's not the most aromatherapy-friendly destination, but if you're looking for a mutated monster hell-bent on taking over humankind, it's probably your best bet. Check out our list of the best stinky crawlies below, which is flush with sewer creatures.
C.H.U.D.: This is probably one of the best known sewer monster movies, which is what happens when you bury nuclear waste under New York City. Luckily, a cop, a reporter, his girlfriend, and a street bum band together to fight it. And if you've always wondered what it stood for, you can quit: "Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller". But wait a minute, one of the containers in the film also says "Contamination Hazard Urban Disposal" on it. Thanks for making it confusing filmmakers. It's also the name of a movie website, where it stands for "Cinematic Happenings Under Development," and they've lovingly named their message boards the "Sewer Chewer".
CHUD video movie several parts: http://www.youtube.com/
The Blob: In the 1988 remake of the Steve McQueen classic, a meteorite falls to Earth that contains a strange visitor who looks like, well... a blob of jelly. It soon starts attacking people and then retreats into the sewer system, where it can roam free and wreak havoc. (In the original film, it doesn't make use of the sewers for some reason). Written by Frank Darabont, and starring Kevin Dillion, it faded quickly into the bad remake file.
Blob trailer: http://www.youtube.
Them: In this 1954 film, radiation causes ants to grow to enormous size and seek out somewhere homey to set up a new nest. Namely, the Los Angeles sewer system. The ending of the film promises future atomic horrors, and it went on to become Warner Bros highest grossing film for that year. Apparently mutated ants + the sewer = big money.
Them part: http://www.youtube.com/
Weird Science: While it didn't exactly come directly from the sewers, Lisa uses her science-magic powers to turn Wyatt's annoying older brother Chet into a shit monster. Literally. He becomes gross ball of farting poop until he finally apologizes to Wyatt and Lisa de-mutates him at the end.
Weird Science trailer: http://www.youtube.
Dogma: In Kevin Smith's religious comedy, the Golgothan is the excrement monster that Jason Lee sends after Jay and Silent Bob. He's made up of all the evil shit from all over the world, and even has his own action figure that farts when you squeeze it. Unlike the Charmin.
Dogma in several parts: http://www.youtube.com/
Monsturd: We shit you not (sorry), this is the actual title of this 2003 direct to video gem. A serial killer escapes from jail and gets chased into the sewers, where he falls into a pool of chemicals. As you'd expect, the chemicals transform him into a half-human, half-poop monster who goes on a killing spree.
Monsturd part: http://www.youtube.com/
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TALK 11 JANUARY: GEORGIA STRAIT ALLIANCE
Underwater Archeological Society of BC Speaker Series
Mike Richards, Director of GSA's Special Projects
7pm, Maritime Museum
Info: John Middleton, 250-743-4495
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END.
