- DR SHAUN PECK PRESENTATION TO CRD ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, 25 JAN
- CRD COMMITTEE-OF-WHOLE FINANCIAL PLAN MEETING, 1 FEB, 12 NOON ( includes sewage plan's Public Involvement Process)
- MYSTERIOUS CHANGE NOTED IN LOCAL SEABED LIFE
- REGIONS TO PONDER DEGRADATION OF SEA LIFE
- CRD 2012-2014 STRATEGIC PLAN (INCLUDES SEWAGE) QUESTIONNAIRE
- FEDS TO "CRACK-DOWN ON WATER POLLUTION FROM RAW SEWAGE"
- GUERNSEY UPDATES (1)
- EVENTS: GREATEST INFECTION OF THE SEA, 30 JAN, UVIC
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DR SHAUN PECK PRESENTATION TO CRD ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, 25 JAN
I would firstly like to comment on the harbour report (Agenda item 7). I would like to see more emphasis on the outcomes to be achieved and how they will be measured. I wonder how many of these many processes described will be effective in achieving reductions in the contamination of the harbours.
For committee members interest Chapter 11 of the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan describes the Victoria and Esquimalt Harbors (I quote) as “the most polluted marine environments in the CRD. The harbour sediments contain high levels of metals and organic contaminants. Sediment contaminant levels in some areas have the potential to be acutely toxic to marine life and could pose a threat to human health if a fishery was allowed. Evidence of this is the closure of the commercial crab fishery in Victoria Harbour due to high dioxin levels in crab tissue. In addition, both harbours have experienced habitat loss and alteration, particularly in the highly urbanized areas.”
Prevention of further contamination levels is clearly what to-days report aims to achieve.
The Marine Monitoring report (agenda item 8) is welcomed. From a public health perspective I am glad that the results for testing for faecal coliform bacteria at the surface were well below levels established by the Canadian Recreational Water guidelines, indicating a low risk to human health.
The overall results from this report reiterate the fact that there is a minimal effect observed on the marine environment with the current practice of discharging the sewage, after screening, through the two deep sea outfalls 1-2 KM offshore through long diffusers. There is continued improvement in the Clover point monitoring results but some concerns around the Macaulay point results. These concerns should not too quickly be attributed to the sewage outfall particularly at the 400 Meter site where it is very difficult to identify the highly dilute plume. I am glad the report states “Preliminary information indicates that similar declines in benthic community health have been observed over the same time period at other monitoring stations in the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound, even at locations far away from point sources of pollution such as municipal wastewater outfalls”.
I am disappointed that there is not going to be another report for five years because this unique marine receiving environment has been very intensely monitored and if land based sewage treatment plants do not get built it would be helpful to continue to know annually the status of the receiving environment.
Speaking to Agenda item 9 – the performance audit of the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan.
The audit review comments that one of the objectives not achieved “there is no signed agreement with either the provincial or federal governments for the provision of two thirds funding for the project - this has not been completed”. This funding commitment was meant to be in place in 2010.
From my perspective this is welcome because the more this project is delayed the less likely it is to be completed.
As most of you are aware I belong to a large group of people who have been convinced that, based on the evidence, that the planned $782 million land based secondary treatment for the core area is not needed and will be a waste of taxpayers dollars. There will be no measurable benefit from this vast expenditure. The marine monitoring report provides further evidence of the minimum effect that is occurring.
The report states that the final system configuration is behind schedule. From my understanding there are two major decisions that have to be made if land based secondary sewage treatment plants are to be constructed. The first is whether land closer to McLoughlin point, such as the Schitzer Steel Industries site in the inner harbor, will be purchased. The second issue is how will the toxic sludge be finally disposed of. Will it be on the land (outside the CRD – because the CRD Board has resolved not to apply it to land – even forage crop land) or is it really going to be dried (using a great deal of energy) and then transported to the lower mainland and burned in a lime kiln?
To finish my comments to-day I suggest that you recommend to the CRD Board that as well as publishing this audit report and inviting comments (as is the staff recommendation) but also the advertisements include that the Marine Monitoring Report (Agenda item 8) being available and invite public comment on that report at the same time.
Thank you,
Dr Shaun Peck, Public Health Consultant.
Member of Responsible Sewage Treatment Victoria www.rstv.ca
Board member of the Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment. www.aresst.ca
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ARESST: According to Budget doc, in 2011, CRD spent almost $1 million ($951K) on LWMP-Public Involvement Process (item 3.750). But what did they do for public involvement in 2011??
CRD COMMITTEE-OF-WHOLE FINANCIAL PLAN MEETING, 1 FEB, 12 NOON (includes sewage plan's Public Involvement Process)
http://www.crd.bc.ca/agendas/
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MYSTERIOUS CHANGE NOTED IN LOCAL SEABED LIFE
CFAX 1070
January 25 2012
The latest environmental observations at and near Victoria's two raw sewage outfalls have detected a cause for concern, but it may unrelated to the sewage outfalls.
At the Macaulay Point outfall in particular there's been a decline in the tiny organisms that live in the seafloor sediment. But, a report to the CRD's Environment Committee says similar declines have been observed at other stations in Georgia and Juan de Fuca Straits, suggesting it could be part of a larger pattern.
Committee member Vic Derman says the Region should stress that in its report to the public, "This is not necessarily a causal relationship between our outfalls and the changes that are taking place".
Overall, the report says "the likelihood for human exposure to pathogens that have reached the marine environment via wastewater was low at both outfalls".
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REGIONS TO PONDER DEGRADATION OF SEA LIFE
Kim Westad
Times Colonist
January 26, 2012
The Capital Regional District will liaise with other regions noticing degradation in their populations of shrimps, mollusks and sea worms to try to find the cause.
A CRD report found that areas near the Macaulay Point sewage outfall station have been "highly degraded" since 2007, but say the cause can't be immediately attributed to the sewage discharge.
Similar findings have been made at sites in the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound. It's suspected the cause may be due to climate change although that's not definite either, CRD biologist Chris Lowe told the CRD's environment committee Wednesday.
As well, the number of capitella worms has "increased dramatically" near the Macaulay Point outfall since 2007, Lowe said. These worms are often found in polluted waters.
The same findings were not made for Clover Point, the other main sewage outfall that puts the region's screened liquid sewage into the ocean.
The sewage is carried one to two kilometres out to sea via pipes and is dispersed into the ocean at both sites.
Mussels off Clover Point are bigger closer to the outfall, likely because there is more food there, Lowe said.
The study looks for everything from fecal coliform to many types of pesticides, metals, pharmaceuticals to chemicals used as flame retardants.
It found that levels of substances in the wastewater were below B.C. and national water-quality guidelines. As well, surface water fecal coliform concentrations were generally low, with overall potential for human exposure and health impacts low.
There were some exceptions in winter.
With the exception of the degradation of some sea life near Macaulay Point, the findings are consistent with previous years' results, Lowe said.
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CRD 2012-2014 STRATEGIC PLAN (INCLUDES SEWAGE) QUESTIONNAIRE
The CRD is setting priorities for next three years and you can play have input on any of their themes - especially sewage treatment - by reviewing their brief web introduction and then completing their online questionnaire linked on CRD's Strategic Plan website. Deadline is 10 February!
Waste Management
The CRD sits at a “waste management crossroads”. The region is working to develop and implement a viable plan to treat its sewage generated in the core area and to look for ways to maximize beneficial reuse of resources and generation of offsetting revenue. These requirements are consistent with the ongoing CRD commitment to sustainability using a triple bottom line approach in all waste management decisions. We will be updating both our LWMP and SWMP and improving related operations from five perspectives: public environmental health, maximizing resources and value based on the principles of resource recovery, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the ultimate goal of zero waste and cost efficiency.
Environmental Protection
The CRD has committed to environmental stewardship consistently through the ‘Values, Goals and Priorities Project’, the Regional Growth Strategy, the Regional Green and Blue Space Strategy, and the 2006-2008 Strategic Plan. Our Parks and Community Services Department provides leadership from land management and outdoor recreation perspectives; Environmental Services addresses challenges associated with waste management; and the Round Table on the Environment monitors and advises on the broader spectrum of environmental issues.
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FEDS TO "CRACK-DOWN ON WATER POLLUTION FROM RAW SEWAGE"
Busy session ahead as Parliament returns, 'prudent' budget expected
Jason Fekete
Postmedia News
January 27, 2012
While there is no sign that Environment Minister Peter Kent would be ready to introduce new regulations to cap rising greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector, he is expected to move forward with standards to crack down on water pollution from raw sewage, as well as pursue a plan to step up monitoring of the environmental impact of oilsands development.
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GUERNSEY UPDATES (1)
SAS survey Guernsey visitors
26 January 2012
The vast majority of visitors to Guernsey surveyed by a lobby group did not know the island pumps its sewage into the sea, according to SAS.
Surfers Against Sewage has been highlighting the issue to passengers boarding ferries in Weymouth.
It was part of their protest over plans by Public Services to scrap proposals for a sewage treatment plant after experts said there would be little environmental benefit.
SAS spoke to travelers en-route to Guernsey and found 93% did not know about the policy, and 73% said it may put them off making use of beaches or swimming in the sea.
Last week the group unveiled a nine-foot "sewage surfer" character on the beach at Pembroke to highlight their opposition to sewage being discharged into the sea.
Politicians will debate the issue this week.
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EVENTS: GREATEST INFECTION OF THE SEA, 30 JAN, UVIC
Victoria Natural History Society presents:
"The Greatest Infection of the Sea"
Captain Charles Moore,
Scientist and Activist
Monday, 30 January 2012
UVic, Room 159, Fraser Building
In 1994 Captain Charles Moore founded the Algalita Marine Research Foundation in Long Beach, California, an organization documenting human-caused contamination of the ocean. After a 1997 trans Pacific yacht race, he was returning from Hawaii and witnessed vast amounts of floating plastic, now dubbed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and since then has dedicated his time and resources to understanding and remediating the ocean's plastic load.
The topic of tonight's talk is also documented in his book 'Plastic Ocean' and his work has been featured on Good Morning America, Late Night with David Letterman, Nightline, and the Colbert Report.
We meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 159 of the University of Victoria's Fraser Building (www.uvic.ca/buildings/fra.
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