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
Victoria
