ACTIONS:
- Meagan Klassen's Sunday op-ed
- How it went - Delivering petitions to Andrew Weaver
- STAG invite to Facebook page
- Send: in your letters!
CRD SEWAGE NEWS
Audio-Visual News:
- Desjardins on CFAX 6 May
- Fred Haynes on CFAX 7 May
- CFAX read Meagan Klassen's Sunday op-ed
- CHEK on Cascadia-Esquimalt event
- The RITE Plan's Youtube Channel
News stories:
- Petitions Call on Province to Review CRD Sewage Plan
- Saanich residents call for independent review of sewage treatment plans
- Comment: Sewage survey provided useful feedback (Atwell)
- Latest development in sewage treatment saga angers Esquimalt
- 2,200 near Prospect Lake say no to sewage plan
LETTERS
- Colwood is on the right sewage path (Bickerton)
- Who do you trust on sewage-treatment plan? (Bisakowski)
- There is a way out of sewage impasse (Newcomb)
- Make up your minds on sewage project (Poole)
- Candidates should make sewage opinions known (Wilmut)
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EVENTS AND ACTIONS:
Meagan Klassen's Sunday op-ed
- see in News column below for her great commentary
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How it went - Delivering petitions to Andrew Weaver
For more on this petition delivery, see Petitions Call on Province to Review CRD Sewage Plan in News stories section
Andrew Weaver accepting the STAG petitions from Dr. Fred Haynes (left).
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STAG invite to Facebook page
Sewage Treatment Action Group (STAG) welcomes you to the The RITE Plan's Facebook Page. STAG believes that sewage treatment must be done in the best way possible using innovative technologies while minimizing costs and social impacts.
For the details of The RITE Plan visit these sites:
Analysis: http://sewagefacts.ca/
Website: http://theriteplan.ca/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/theriteplan
Website: http://theriteplan.ca/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/theriteplan
Live: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/theriteplan
Videos: http://youtube.com/user/theriteplan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/theriteplan
Videos: http://youtube.com/user/theriteplan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/theriteplan
In this group we are discussing waste management in the CRD (sewage, composting and garbage) along with water re-use which are all elements of The RITE Plan.
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CRD SEWAGE NEWS
Audio-Visual News:
Desjardins on CFAX 6 May
In case you missed it, Mayor extraordinaire Barb Desjardins was on CFAX 1070 with Ian Jessop to talk about the 28 page letter the Township of Esquimalt sent to Minister Polak regarding the CRD's April 11th letter to the Minister:
Audio Recording:
http://theriteplan.ca/media/
Esquimalt letter to Minister Polak: http://theriteplan.ca/docs/
CRD's April 11th Letter: https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/
Audio Recording:
http://theriteplan.ca/media/
Esquimalt letter to Minister Polak: http://theriteplan.ca/docs/
CRD's April 11th Letter: https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/
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Fred Haynes on CFAX 7 May
Fred Haynes of the Prospect Lake Community Association was on CFAX 1070 at 2:30pm with Ian Jessop:
Fred talked about the opportunity we have to take a sober second look and building something worthwhile instead of another dinosaur from the past.
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CFAX read Meagan Klassen's Sunday op-ed
http://theriteplan.ca/media/
The last paragraph in the audio recording is cutoff right after "dumped on".
Here's the last paragraph:
"We are proud of our municipality, and after years of being ignored, outvoted, threatened, devalued and frankly, dumped on, we were finally asked at the 11th hour to officially rezone. We hope you understand why we cheered when council said no."
- Meagan Klaassen of Esquimalt is co-chair of the Lyall Street Action Committee, a residents’ associations advocating for people directly affected by the sewage project.
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CHEK on Cascadia-Esquimalt event 10 May
Cascadia's Living City Event in Esquimalt
Coordinated by Esquimalt resident and community development professional, Susan Low!
Meant for general public, looked like a great turn-out: http://youtu.be/9PSPzvoY2T4
Next Cascadia Living Community Design event is full-day for 21 June:
Living Community Design Competition - Design Charrette
Living Community Design Competition - Design Charrette
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/living-community-design-competition-design-charrette-tickets-11437811803
Esquimalt community leaders participate at first Cascadia-Esquimalt Living City Event
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RITE Plan's Youtube Channel
Frequently updated with the most vital and interesting snippets that show the best and the worst of the CRD's sewage planning process
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News stories:
Petitions Call on Province to Review CRD Sewage Plan
Andrew Weaver MLA
Media Statement: May 5, 2014
For Immediate Release
Victoria BC – Today Andrew Weaver presented three petitions to the House calling on the Provincial Government to pause and review the Capital Regional District proposal for secondary sewage treatment. The petitions totaling over 2600 signatures from residents throughout Greater Victoria were organized by The Prospect Lake Community Association and the Sewage Treatment Action Group.
In light of the rejection of re-zoning McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant by the Township of Esquimalt, following a series of public forums, and community concerns over the proposed plant at Hartland, the CRD plan appears to be on hold. The Minister of Environment has stated she has no intention of intervening on the Esquimalt re-zoning and has indicated the affected municipalities and regional district should come forward with a solution. She has also officially noted the deadline for completion is 2020 allowing time for alternative approaches to be discussed.
“These petitions, town halls, letters to editors and community actions clearly demonstrate that the residents and businesses in Greater Victoria are deeply concerned about the proposed project both in terms of its cost, as well as its appropriateness as a solution” said Andrew Weaver. “The region needs sewage treatment. And we know the province has promised to provide funding even with a 2020 deadline. What’s needed is a firm commitment of 1/3 federal funding so that the CRD will have full confidence that a review of the present plan is the right way to move forward”.
In submitting the petition to Andrew Weaver, Dr. Fred Haynes, Past President, Prospect lake Community Association noted: “ The newer technologies demonstrated at Dockside Green (Victoria), Ladysmith BC, Blaine Washington and Guadalajara Mexico show it is possible with this budget to invest taxpayers money in building a world leading system”.
Andrew Weaver will continue to work with community groups, regional mayors and councils, and community groups to encourage a sewage treatment plan that is affordable, meets current and future needs and is backed by the community.
Andrew Weaver MLA
Media Statement: May 5, 2014
For Immediate Release
Victoria BC – Today Andrew Weaver presented three petitions to the House calling on the Provincial Government to pause and review the Capital Regional District proposal for secondary sewage treatment. The petitions totaling over 2600 signatures from residents throughout Greater Victoria were organized by The Prospect Lake Community Association and the Sewage Treatment Action Group.
In light of the rejection of re-zoning McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant by the Township of Esquimalt, following a series of public forums, and community concerns over the proposed plant at Hartland, the CRD plan appears to be on hold. The Minister of Environment has stated she has no intention of intervening on the Esquimalt re-zoning and has indicated the affected municipalities and regional district should come forward with a solution. She has also officially noted the deadline for completion is 2020 allowing time for alternative approaches to be discussed.
“These petitions, town halls, letters to editors and community actions clearly demonstrate that the residents and businesses in Greater Victoria are deeply concerned about the proposed project both in terms of its cost, as well as its appropriateness as a solution” said Andrew Weaver. “The region needs sewage treatment. And we know the province has promised to provide funding even with a 2020 deadline. What’s needed is a firm commitment of 1/3 federal funding so that the CRD will have full confidence that a review of the present plan is the right way to move forward”.
In submitting the petition to Andrew Weaver, Dr. Fred Haynes, Past President, Prospect lake Community Association noted: “ The newer technologies demonstrated at Dockside Green (Victoria), Ladysmith BC, Blaine Washington and Guadalajara Mexico show it is possible with this budget to invest taxpayers money in building a world leading system”.
Andrew Weaver will continue to work with community groups, regional mayors and councils, and community groups to encourage a sewage treatment plan that is affordable, meets current and future needs and is backed by the community.
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Saanich residents call for independent review of sewage treatment plans
CFAX 1070
5 May 2014
Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA Oak Bay – Gordon Head presented three petititons to the House Monday, calling on the BC Liberals to pause and review the CRD proposal for secondary sewage treatment.
The petitions contain signatures of over 2600 residents from Greater Victoria and were organized by the Prospect Lake Community Association and the Sewage Treatment Action Group.
Weaver argues that rejection of rezoning of McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant by the Township of Esquimalt has put the plan on hold.
Weaver says sewage treatment is needed, and a firm commitment of one-third federal funding so that the CRD will have full confidence that a review of the present plan is the right way to move forward.
http://www.cfax1070.com/News/
CFAX 1070
5 May 2014
Andrew Weaver, Green Party MLA Oak Bay – Gordon Head presented three petititons to the House Monday, calling on the BC Liberals to pause and review the CRD proposal for secondary sewage treatment.
The petitions contain signatures of over 2600 residents from Greater Victoria and were organized by the Prospect Lake Community Association and the Sewage Treatment Action Group.
Weaver argues that rejection of rezoning of McLoughlin Point for a treatment plant by the Township of Esquimalt has put the plan on hold.
Weaver says sewage treatment is needed, and a firm commitment of one-third federal funding so that the CRD will have full confidence that a review of the present plan is the right way to move forward.
http://www.cfax1070.com/News/
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Comment: Sewage survey provided useful feedback (Atwell)RICHARD ATWELL
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 6, 2014
MAY 6, 2014
The recent survey commissioned by the Sewage Treatment Action Group has been greatly misrepresented in recent media coverage and outrageously by the Capital Regional District with its premature attempts to discredit it before any results had been published.
The survey, to which more than 2,300 residents of Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria responded, found that 76 per cent had concerns over the CRD’s proposed sewage-treatment project, and that most had lost confidence in the CRD’s regional waste-management capability. They also wanted an independent project review and an innovative new project plan.
To call this survey bogus is disrespectful to the people who participated. Thousands of ordinary citizens used it as a way to show both their continued frustration with the CRD’s failed public participation process and their belief that the project does not achieve the best environmental and social results at the lowest cost to the region’s taxpayers.
We sought responses to a survey using a tested technique with a proven track record, carried out by an independent research company. At no time did we claim that the survey was a scientific poll (a look back at the last provincial election shows that the reliability of such scientific polling is still in question).
Our survey was totally up-front. It consisted of an introduction, identifying ourselves and stating our own concerns. Then came a two-tiered questionnaire, and a thank-you message with an invitation to contact us by email or phone. The full text of the questions was released with the results.
We received hundreds of emails and phone calls. These provided feedback that we will use to engage the public at the next opportunity.
CRD has charged that the survey “misinformed” participants — yet there was no misinformation in our introduction, which stated that our group is concerned about chemical and pharmaceutical discharge into the ocean after secondary treatment.
Albert Sweetnam, Seaterra Program director, has made multiple allegations and stated that “the only answer a reasonable person could provide is yes,” yet the results of the survey clearly refute his statement: one in four respondents (562 people) answered “no” — that they were not concerned about this project.
If the survey results are so much in doubt to the CRD, then our challenge is obvious: conduct independent scientific polling and prove us wrong.
Freedom-of-information requests going back to at least 2012 reveal that the CRD has not done any polling or research to determine public approval for its problem-plagued sewage project. The CRD has not made any public statements about public opinion, other than to criticize our survey and offer its own opinion that “a silent majority” supports the project.
Is there any evidence behind that Nixonian rejoinder?
In our opinion, suggested polling questions such as “Do you favour discharging sewage into the ocean?” and “Are residents for or against treatment?” are worthless questions to ask at this point in time. Treatment has been mandated by senior government regulations, the CRD project has serious problems and the public wants an independent review and a better project.
If the CRD is unwilling to respond to our challenge to carry out what it deems to be a serious poll that asks the public whether or not people are concerned about the sewage plan and want an independent review, we suggest that CRD directors place a referendum question on the November municipal ballot that asks the public if they want to stay with the present project or take the time to develop an innovative plan.
Whether or not CRD directors agree to this, it seems inevitable that a region-wide confidence vote on the project will come in the November elections.
- Richard Atwell is director of the Sewage Treatment Action Group.
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Latest development in sewage treatment saga angers Esquimalt
http://www.cfax1070.com/News/
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins is sharply critical of the management at SeaTerra...the CRD's sewage treatment project arm...for announcing the selection of a preferred builder for the plant without having confirmed a location for it...
“SeaTerra has continued to make announcements and move forward in the middle of processes with no regard (to) where CRD is at or where communities are at”
http://www.cfax1070.com/News/
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins is sharply critical of the management at SeaTerra...the CRD's sewage treatment project arm...for announcing the selection of a preferred builder for the plant without having confirmed a location for it...
“SeaTerra has continued to make announcements and move forward in the middle of processes with no regard (to) where CRD is at or where communities are at”
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2,200 near Prospect Lake say no to sewage plan
Christine van Reeuwyk
Victoria News
May 8, 2014
Prospect Lake residents hope the Capital Regional District will “sit up and pay attention” after offering a petition with more than 2,200 names to the legislature on Monday (May 5).
MLA Andrew Weaver presented the petition, signed by 2,249 concerned residents, that asks that the BC Legislature order an independent, expert third-party review of the CRD’s sewage treatment plan.
“We do have the attention of the government on this,” said Fred Haynes, past president of the Prospect Lake Community Association. “It calls for a halt and a third party review of the current plan.”
The community association initiated the petition in December. Recently the provincial government indicated it will stay out of any intervention request by the CRD.
“This is not politics, it’s about appropriate development and appropriate taxation levels for municipal infrastructure,” Haynes said. “We should not spend $1 billion to purchase a treatment system that is flawed and past its expiry date.”
They’re interested in looking at newer technologies, citing those demonstrated at Dockside Green in Victoria, Ladysmith, Blaine Washington, and Guadalajara, Mexico.
“Around the world people are looking at harvesting the resources, the water itself and the biosolids. The newer tertiary treatment systems let us capture that,” he said. “This current technology doesn’t capture any of that. It’s like buying a cellphone that’s 15 years old. Why would anyone do that?”
While the current proposal may have been thoroughly looked at and vetted by CRD staff, Haynes said that was in 2007.
“They would have missed this new technology. … If you’re making a big purchase that’s going to put you in mortgage for 25 years, you should be able to have a sober second look. The review would find, we believe, there are newer technologies.
“We don’t understand the rush to put in the current system,” he said. “It would be better for the environment, better for the taxpayers and a better system.”
He’s bolstered by a pair of other municipalities already pushing for a review. In March, the CRD agreed in principle to allow Colwood to build its own sewage treatment facility. In April, Esquimalt rejected the treatment site.
“Colwood and Esquimalt councils have demonstrated it is possible for individual members of the CRD to pause and look at technology offering options for the sewage infrastructures of the future. The citizens research group, Sewage Treatment Action Group (STAG) has identified examples of viable, less costly alternatives. The intractable problems of locating the large scale centralized systems proposed by CRD at Hartland and at McLoughlin could be addressed by these more nimble decentralized systems.”
http://www.vicnews.com/news/
Christine van Reeuwyk
Victoria News
May 8, 2014
Prospect Lake residents hope the Capital Regional District will “sit up and pay attention” after offering a petition with more than 2,200 names to the legislature on Monday (May 5).
MLA Andrew Weaver presented the petition, signed by 2,249 concerned residents, that asks that the BC Legislature order an independent, expert third-party review of the CRD’s sewage treatment plan.
“We do have the attention of the government on this,” said Fred Haynes, past president of the Prospect Lake Community Association. “It calls for a halt and a third party review of the current plan.”
The community association initiated the petition in December. Recently the provincial government indicated it will stay out of any intervention request by the CRD.
“This is not politics, it’s about appropriate development and appropriate taxation levels for municipal infrastructure,” Haynes said. “We should not spend $1 billion to purchase a treatment system that is flawed and past its expiry date.”
They’re interested in looking at newer technologies, citing those demonstrated at Dockside Green in Victoria, Ladysmith, Blaine Washington, and Guadalajara, Mexico.
“Around the world people are looking at harvesting the resources, the water itself and the biosolids. The newer tertiary treatment systems let us capture that,” he said. “This current technology doesn’t capture any of that. It’s like buying a cellphone that’s 15 years old. Why would anyone do that?”
While the current proposal may have been thoroughly looked at and vetted by CRD staff, Haynes said that was in 2007.
“They would have missed this new technology. … If you’re making a big purchase that’s going to put you in mortgage for 25 years, you should be able to have a sober second look. The review would find, we believe, there are newer technologies.
“We don’t understand the rush to put in the current system,” he said. “It would be better for the environment, better for the taxpayers and a better system.”
He’s bolstered by a pair of other municipalities already pushing for a review. In March, the CRD agreed in principle to allow Colwood to build its own sewage treatment facility. In April, Esquimalt rejected the treatment site.
“Colwood and Esquimalt councils have demonstrated it is possible for individual members of the CRD to pause and look at technology offering options for the sewage infrastructures of the future. The citizens research group, Sewage Treatment Action Group (STAG) has identified examples of viable, less costly alternatives. The intractable problems of locating the large scale centralized systems proposed by CRD at Hartland and at McLoughlin could be addressed by these more nimble decentralized systems.”
http://www.vicnews.com/news/
Front page story in Saanich News!
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LETTERS
Colwood is on the right sewage path (Bickerton)
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 10, 2014
I was pleased by the friendly atmosphere at the Colwood tertiary treatment open house. It was a refreshing approach where people were asked their opinions.
The illustrations showed an underground treatment facility with parking, shops and housing above. After treatment, the water is drinkable and will be dispersed into the surrounding playing fields and park below. None of Colwood’s treated water will be piped back into Juan de Fuca Strait.
Victoria’s Seaterra partners should be listening. The World Health Organization has recently warned that we should be finding ways to reduce the chance of spreading resistant strains of bacteria. “Superbugs” have been found in secondary sewage.
Colwood has asked the Capital Regional District’s permission to look into developing a less-expensive tertiary system that better suits its needs than the single-model Seaterra secondary plant. It must also receive permission from the province. One stipulation is that Colwood must build an expensive pipeline all the way back into Victoria in case the Colwood plant should fail. Yet, there have been more failures in secondary sewage systems.
At least, Colwood is trying to reduce the environmental damage by not building extensive pipelines to Hartland Road, losing heat and adding to climate change. It is examining a system of linked, distributed tertiary plants that are more environmentally friendly.
Colwood is listening: The CRD Seaterra group is not.
Art Bickerton
Saanich
http://www.timescolonist.com/
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 10, 2014
I was pleased by the friendly atmosphere at the Colwood tertiary treatment open house. It was a refreshing approach where people were asked their opinions.
The illustrations showed an underground treatment facility with parking, shops and housing above. After treatment, the water is drinkable and will be dispersed into the surrounding playing fields and park below. None of Colwood’s treated water will be piped back into Juan de Fuca Strait.
Victoria’s Seaterra partners should be listening. The World Health Organization has recently warned that we should be finding ways to reduce the chance of spreading resistant strains of bacteria. “Superbugs” have been found in secondary sewage.
Colwood has asked the Capital Regional District’s permission to look into developing a less-expensive tertiary system that better suits its needs than the single-model Seaterra secondary plant. It must also receive permission from the province. One stipulation is that Colwood must build an expensive pipeline all the way back into Victoria in case the Colwood plant should fail. Yet, there have been more failures in secondary sewage systems.
At least, Colwood is trying to reduce the environmental damage by not building extensive pipelines to Hartland Road, losing heat and adding to climate change. It is examining a system of linked, distributed tertiary plants that are more environmentally friendly.
Colwood is listening: The CRD Seaterra group is not.
Art Bickerton
Saanich
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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Who do you trust on sewage-treatment plan? (Bisakowski)
http://www.timescolonist.com/
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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There is a way out of sewage impasse (Newcomb, ARESST)
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 8, 2014
Victoria’s wastewater treatment system is federally designated as “high-risk,” requiring secondary treatment by 2020.
This designation was based on measurements at the end of the outfall pipes — which is appropriate for discharge into fresh water, having little assimilative capacity and requiring secondary treatment to be already complete.
Seawater, more chemically and biologically reactive, can perform secondary treatment equivalence (following source control and fine screening) in short order.
Monitoring has been done for years within 100 metres of the pipe. There, according to Capital Regional District reports and University of Victoria oceanographers, both secondary treatment standards and the new federal regulations are met.
The CRD and the province could solve the current impasse by challenging the federal government’s “high-risk” rating.
The federal government allows for deadline extensions called “transitional authorizations.” June 30, 2014, is the cutoff date to apply to extend the 2020 deadline.
We recommend that the CRD and the province immediately seek an extension and start negotiations to establish a medium- or low-risk rating, which would delay the need for compliance to 2030 or 2040 respectively.
We further recommend that the three levels of government jointly commission a cost-benefit and risk analysis by local oceanographers, engineers and public health officers to identify the best all-around system.
The current impasse is due, in part, to lack of awareness regarding the benefits of our present marine-based system. It is important to include the status quo in comparative studies and is required by law in the United States.
John Newcomb
and board members of ARESST
http://www.timescolonist.com/
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 8, 2014
Victoria’s wastewater treatment system is federally designated as “high-risk,” requiring secondary treatment by 2020.
This designation was based on measurements at the end of the outfall pipes — which is appropriate for discharge into fresh water, having little assimilative capacity and requiring secondary treatment to be already complete.
Seawater, more chemically and biologically reactive, can perform secondary treatment equivalence (following source control and fine screening) in short order.
Monitoring has been done for years within 100 metres of the pipe. There, according to Capital Regional District reports and University of Victoria oceanographers, both secondary treatment standards and the new federal regulations are met.
The CRD and the province could solve the current impasse by challenging the federal government’s “high-risk” rating.
The federal government allows for deadline extensions called “transitional authorizations.” June 30, 2014, is the cutoff date to apply to extend the 2020 deadline.
We recommend that the CRD and the province immediately seek an extension and start negotiations to establish a medium- or low-risk rating, which would delay the need for compliance to 2030 or 2040 respectively.
We further recommend that the three levels of government jointly commission a cost-benefit and risk analysis by local oceanographers, engineers and public health officers to identify the best all-around system.
The current impasse is due, in part, to lack of awareness regarding the benefits of our present marine-based system. It is important to include the status quo in comparative studies and is required by law in the United States.
John Newcomb
and board members of ARESST
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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Make up your minds on sewage project (Poole):
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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Make up your minds on sewage project (Poole):
http://www.timescolonist.com/
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Candidates should make sewage opinions known (Wilmut)
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 10, 2014
I would like to thank the Times Colonist and other contributors for the four recent commentaries on the controversial sewage-treatment issue.
At this critical juncture, two articles concluded we should push on with the McLoughlin Point proposal and the other two articles argued that it was time for a reset.
Numerous letters to the editor and to municipal councillors, well-attended public meetings and petitions show the public is engaged in this important and expensive issue.
Municipal elections are about six months away. It is vital that electors cast their votes knowledgably. Thus, it is incumbent on all the municipal representatives who sit on the Capital Regional District core area liquid waste management committee to state their voting patterns to date and their personal opinions on “whither Victoria’s sewage treatment?” In fact, all current and prospective municipal councillors should state their personal views on Victoria’s sewage treatment issue.
Michael Wilmut
Oak Bay
TIMES COLONIST
MAY 10, 2014
I would like to thank the Times Colonist and other contributors for the four recent commentaries on the controversial sewage-treatment issue.
At this critical juncture, two articles concluded we should push on with the McLoughlin Point proposal and the other two articles argued that it was time for a reset.
Numerous letters to the editor and to municipal councillors, well-attended public meetings and petitions show the public is engaged in this important and expensive issue.
Municipal elections are about six months away. It is vital that electors cast their votes knowledgably. Thus, it is incumbent on all the municipal representatives who sit on the Capital Regional District core area liquid waste management committee to state their voting patterns to date and their personal opinions on “whither Victoria’s sewage treatment?” In fact, all current and prospective municipal councillors should state their personal views on Victoria’s sewage treatment issue.
Michael Wilmut
Oak Bay
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Photo and caption appearing at top of Comments page 9 May
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SEND IN YOUR LETTERS!
