The Problem:
The increasing cost of providing affordable water to communities with <10,000 population is reaching a critical point with the ratepayers. Government drinking water quality regulations are forcing single plumped delivery systems to treat all water regardless of end use. Increased costs to these micro-communities put those water systems and their future in jeopardy of being unaffordable. The loss of these systems would result in serious consequences for fire protection/suppression as most of these communities in British Columbia and across Canada are in wildfire interface areas serviced by small volunteer/paid-on-call fire departments.
Our surface and ground water used for drinking water by a large percentage of the population is at risk from the prolific use of old technology in regards to septic sewage systems and effluent dispersal fields. These septic systems serve approximately 25% of the Canadian population, that’s over ten million people.
History:
Many of the small rural water systems especially the older ones were originally designed and operated as fire protection systems to qualify residents for a substantial discount on their home insurance. Pre-Walkerton drinking water was a side benefit for establishing and operating the “fire systems”. Regulations were relatively easy and affordable to achieve. In the post-Walkerton 1. era this has changed dramatically. Regulators are now focused on reacting to the avoidable tragedy that cost people their lives. In fact this was a unique situation in the manner and fashion that elements of the incident unfolded including criminal acts, incompetence and dishonesty to a new standard.
I recently toured a state of the art, forty-three million dollar water treatment plant in Kamloops serving 80,000 residents. The operator of the plant estimated that at least 40% of the residents are still buying their drinking water. When you add the homes already equipped with in-house water treatment systems that would be close to half the community. This high standard for potable water is required for all systems by Interior Health here in British Columbia regardless of number of users or their ability to pay. There is a wide mix of water systems and their ages in the area I represent as in many similar Districts across Canada. They are both public and private, ranging from 8 people to several hundred and everything in-between.
Septic Systems2. are the overwhelming method of dealing with sewage in any area without a central sewage treatment plant. Almost all “micro communities” (<10,000 Pop.) are on a septic system. Federal Government information 3. places the number of residents on septic systems in Canada at 25% – that’s 8 -11 million people, at least! An average system requires a 10’x10’ area for the solids/liquid tank and a further 30’x50’ for the effluent dispersal field. Government recommendations are that you have a second 30’x50’ area in case your original field fails. Should your field fail and no secondary area is available then the entire 30’x50’ area would have to be removed and disposed of as a biological hazardous material and fresh soil brought in to replace it for the new field’s dispersal piping. Either solution comes with a cost of multiple thousands of dollars to the home owner. A septic system has a typical life expectancy of 15-20 years but some have been known to last much longer sometimes decades while others have failed in only a few years or less.
Multi-million dollar sewage treatment plants also come with issues of their own. 99% of what goes through the plant is water which is treated to less than a drinking quality standard, still contaminated with pharmaceuticals and then discharged into a “body of water” for dilution or possibly spray irrigation to open lands for ground purification. Neither of these solutions/practices are tolerable to the public. The remaining 1% being plastics, pharmaceuticals, metals, etc. are removed and sent to a land fill. The bio-solids that are left are yet another issue. At one time bio-solids were land filled now there is an effort to use them by land treatment or composting to convert it to fertilizer for market. Land treatment protests recently cost the Premier her constituency office for a week as it was occupied by protesters who were opposed to this process taking place in their “backyard”. As well as the embarrassment of this unwanted media attention to the Premier and communities involved there was also significant negative financial costs to the participants who shared in this particular waste water treatment plant.
Another related area of concern is communities transitioning to municipal sewer from septic system. Traditionally, sewer becomes available when infrastructure proximity is extended to their area and the home owner is required to connect to sewer. After connection the biological hazardous material waste site in their back yard fades in memory to be a toxic surprise to some poor unfortunate soul that stumbles across it in the future. Will cleanup be mandated sometime in the future such as with old mine sites, gas stations and so forth? What would be the cost of digging up these old sites and disposing of this toxic material? And, more importantly who will be responsible for paying for it!
In conclusion we are obviously contaminating our own water supply with human sewage. We are the cause for the constantly changing standards of quality for the treatment of our drinking water. The lack of confidence by the public for these standards is apparent by their high demand for “bottled water”.
16-02-07 UPDATE : Since this paper was written in 2015 the lead contamination of the residents of Flint Michigan Flint – Water Contamination has horrified the world. The problem started when they switched water source from the City of Detroit that draws water from the Great Lakes to the Flint River which has a highly caustic content to it water. This caused the lead service pipes between the mains and the homes to breakdown and contaminate the water supply with lead particles far in excess of the legal standard put forth by Health Authorities.This is a city with a population >100,000 people and to save $100.00 a day they ended up exposing the entire community with irreversible and deadly lead poisoning. This lead poisoning continued for many months AFTER Local, State and Federal Authorities were aware of the problem and were indecisive as to what action to take. This situation will end up costing the Michigan taxpayers 100’s of millions of tax dollars and that will not change the permanent mental and physical damage to thousands of children and other unfortunate water users.
On small rural water systems and micro communities where multi million dollar filtration systems are financially crippling and in the case of Flint ineffective. I believe this incident shows the main advantage of the Point of Entry Filtration Systems (eg. Reverse Osmosis) that provide filtration where the water enters the residence and is directed for potable water taps. The technology exists now and will only become more prevalent and cost-effective in the future to allow for the testing of water quality to laboratory standards in the home with instant and accurate results.
Solutions:
Technology has brought new solutions to the previously expensive processes in the fields of both water purification and sewage treatment. There are cost effective systems for in-house water purification and alternatives to traditional septic systems.
In-house water treatment systems are economical and readily available and in great use across Canada. In my rural electoral area water treatment systems are being used by those that draw water directly from the lake and creeks, wells and both private and public water systems. These water systems range from single users to hundreds on a system. An in-house water treatment system would be less costly compared to the communal treatment plants utilized by treated bulk delivery systems whether public or privately operated. A Reverse Osmosis System with Ultra Violet Filtration will remove the impurities and contaminants from the water supply including lead.
Septic systems are old technology and their use should be discontinued. There are cost effective (green) alternatives that function like a mini sewer treatment plant. Where a sewer treatment plant needs to get rid of the 99% liquid effluent the new bio systems return drinking quality water directly to the aquifer, thereby replenishing the aquifer rather than contaminating surface water or a body of water such as a lake. The new bio systems use water motion and aeration to break down the solids and pumping the tank may be required every 25-35 years. Annual scheduled maintenance costs are less than annual sewer charges in most municipalities’ that operate sewage treatment plants. This maintenance requires a short (1-2 weeks) training course that would be suitable for more isolated or rural communities enabling them to bring these skills locally.
Transitioning communities where sewer is soon to be available either by new construction or connection to an existing system expansion present a different problem. In this case rather than being allowed to turn your back on the existing septic system a requirement is needed to rehab the field and remove the solids tank. The home owner should be mandated to remove the solids tank and replace it with a bio-system connected to the existing field for a period of 1-1.5 years to rehabilitate the septic mat and surrounding soil in the field. When decontamination is finished the bio-system tank can be moved to another site and clean another septic field and so on. Government funding redirected from water quality upgrades could fund an incentive program to encourage those with a septic system to upgrade to the new technology. This incentive could compensate home owners to help offset repair costs from a failing field or eventual field failure, to address environmental concerns and provide incentive to install a bio system in new construction.
Rationale:
The end goal of this plan is to clean up previous damage from past bad practices and safe guard our drinking water for future generations. To do this we need to address the septic systems and mitigate the damage done and in progress by the continued use and abandonment of these bio hazardous back yard sludge pits we call septic systems. All municipalities large or small are surrounded by rural areas on septic. The ground and surface water required to sustain the population and businesses in those municipalities is being polluted by these same septic fields.
The new bio systems4. Can: 1/ Clean existing septic fields whether operational or in a failed condition within 1.5 years removing the bio logical hazard. 2/ Reduce the biosolid problem Provincially by requiring fewer pump outs each of which would have to be transported to a sewage treatment plant providing it with a far higher % of biosolids to liquids than normal sewage they receive. 3/The units can be moved from site to site relatively easily especially if installed with the intention that it be moved later. 4/The bio system container is rated for 100 years’ life expectancy far exceeding either steel or concrete for durability. 5/Bio systems can operate in a satellite configuration providing sewer to multiple dwellings with one common field greatly offsetting costs to individual home owners. 6/Typical field size is 1/3rd that of the old system but is also dependent upon the expected use.
Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) systems are the most common of the water purification systems and provide the “drinking water” for a great deal of Canadians. From 500 ml bottle to the 18.9L jugs a large percentage of our population will not drink tap water regardless of where they are.
Conclusion:
There is a need to create a designation of “micro-community” to identify those communities that are finding the drinking water quality cost to be beyond their ability to pay and see no end to the continued cost of upgrades. Currently a Small Community in Canada has a population <100,000.5. There is no comparison with the abilities to pay. With the same regulatory standards regardless of this disparity in populations this current designation tilts the playing field in a direction not favouring the small guy.
We need to place the focus and fiscal incentives in a more proactive fashion on the sewage issue in the rural and “micro-communities” to achieve cleaner ground water for everyone as a result of these efforts. This will make for a much greener environment and a cleaner safer water source while limiting possible government liability in the future decontamination of all old septic fields.
Regards,
Wayne Carson
Director – Central Okanagan West
wayne.carson@cord.bc.ca
- See Appendix A – Walkerton Tragedy
- See Appendix B – Pictures Existing and Failed Fields
- See Appendix C – Care & Maintenance
- See Appendix D – The Future – Bio Harmony
- See Appendix E – Municipal Population Sizes
- See Appendix F – Useful Links
APPENDIX A
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_Canada
Walkerton
Description of events[edit]
At the time of the event in May 2000, Stan Koebel was utilities manager and Frank Koebel was water foreman for Walkerton. Neither had any formal training in this position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience. The water supply, drawn from groundwater, became contaminated with the highly dangerous O157:H7 strain of E. coli bacteria.[1] This contamination was due to farm runoff into an adjacent water well that had been known for years to be vulnerable to groundwater contamination.
Starting 11 May 2000, many people of the community of about 5,000 people began to simultaneously experience bloody diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections and other symptoms of E. coli infection. For days the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission insisted the water supply was “OK” despite being in possession of laboratory tests that had found evidence of contamination. On 21 May, an escalation in the number of patients with similar symptoms finally spurred the region’s Medical Officer of Health, Murray McQuigge, to issue a boil water advisory, warning residents not to drink the tap water.
The five people who died directly from drinking the E. coli contaminated water might have been saved if the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission had admitted to contaminated water sooner, and about 2,500 became ill. An experimental drug in Phase III clinical trials, Synsorb Pk, was used to treat 19 children on compassionate grounds under Health Canada‘s Special Access Program.[2]
During the time of the tragedy, both Stan and Frank Koebel denied any wrongdoing and firmly held that the water at Walkerton was safe to drink. However, as the tragedy grew in severity the two were eventually part of the criminal investigation into the tragedy, and, as a result, both would eventually plead guilty to a charge of common nuisance through a plea bargain. In their plea, they admitted to falsifying reports and Frank admitted to drinking on the job, as a beer fridge did exist at the facility.[3]
They were both formally sentenced on December 21, 2004, with Stan receiving one year in jail and Frank Koebel nine months of house arrest. Reaction to their sentencing was mixed.
No provincial government politician was charged or found guilty of wrongdoing in setting the policies that resulted in this tragedy. As law professor Bruce Pardy notes, “Policy development is not subject to tort liability.”[4]
APPENDIX B
Typical Gravity Field
New Field being Installed
Pump out of Solids – Recommended every 3-5 years.
Failed Field
Flush to Field
Not what you want to see in the front yard.
APPENDIX C
How to Care for Your Septic System
If you live in a rural area or have vacation property in the middle of nowhere, you’re no doubt familiar with the form and function of a septic system. In brief, a septic system is your very own on site sewage treatment facility. It’s used primarily where access to a municipal sewer system is neither available nor economically practical. A septic system is out of sight and is odorless (when properly maintained).
A septic system is reasonably maintenance-free. A well-constructed, properly maintained tank could last indefinitely. However, the leach field (the underground area where all of the sewage drainpipes are located) will most likely require some treatment or perhaps replacement after about 15 to 20 years of service.
Following a few simple rules — like not using too much water and not depositing materials in the septic tank that bacteria can’t decompose — should help to make a septic system trouble-free for many years. But don’t forget that the septic tank does need to be cleaned out when too many solids build up.
Be mindful about what you and your family put into your septic system. It doesn’t take much to upset the delicate biological balance within the tank. You can extend the life of a septic system by watching everything that’s introduced to the system.
Keep in mind the following recommendations:
-
Too much water can upset the delicate biological balance within the tank, thus defeating its ability to work wonders. Moreover, discharging more water into the system than it can handle can cause it to back up — not a desirable occurrence.
-
Don’t use excessive amounts of any household chemicals. You can use normal amounts of household detergents, bleaches, drain cleaners, and other household chemicals without stopping the bacterial action in the septic tank. But, for example, don’t dump cleaning water for latex paintbrushes and cans into the house sewer.
-
Don’t deposit coffee grounds, cooking fats, wet-strength towels(paper towels that don’t dissolve easily, like the heavy-duty kind), disposable diapers, facial tissues, cigarette butts, and other non-decomposable materials into the house sewer. These materials won’t decompose, will fill the septic tank and will plug the system.
Use a high-quality toilet tissue that breaks up easily when wet. One way to find out if your toilet paper fits this description is to put a handful of toilet tissue in a fruit jar half-full of water. Shake the jar, and if the tissue breaks up easily, the product is suitable for the septic tank.
-
Avoid dumping grease down the drain. It may plug sewer pipes or build up in the septic tank and plug the inlet. Keep a separate container for waste grease and throw it out with the garbage.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, because of the presence of significant numbers and types of bacteria, enzymes, yeasts, and other fungi and microorganisms in typical residential and commercial wastewater, the use of septic-system additives containing these or any other ingredients is not recommended.
You need to have your septic tank pumped and cleaned by a professional every one to three years. A septic tank in a northern climate will need to have the solids removed more often than a tank farther south. (This geographic variance is primarily because cooler temperatures inhibit bacterial action and provide less decomposition of the sewage solids.) How often you need to have your septic tank pumped also depends on the size of the tank, the volume of wastewater, and how many solids go into it. Constant foul odor, slow drains, and drains that back up are all telltale signs that your septic tank needs pumping. When in doubt, call in a septic pro.
More Information on Care & Maintenance for Home Owners
APPENDIX D
Bio-Harmony Residential Sewage System
BIOCYCLE 5000 & 6000 RESIDENTIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
Our proprietary system offers your home benefits that stagnant septic tanks just can’t compete with. The BioCycle System is not only better for the environment, it may help increase the property value of your home while conserving water; a valuable resource.
The BioCycle 5000 & 6000 series are a compact Aerated Wastewater Treatment Plant, designed to treat all household wastewater right on-site, in a four-chamber, fully self-contained unit.
In a traditional septic system, the fluids are held in a tank until they separate on their own over time. We found that providing flow to the waste made a world of difference in how it is broken down. The BioCycle plant is a miniaturized version of a municipal sewage treatment plant! When the wastewater leaves the home, its work is just beginning.
The BioCycle system pushes the wastewater through the four chambers, each serving a different purpose. All human wastewater (in fluent) enters the BioCycle plant where natural occurring anaerobic and aerobic bacteria digest all wastewater organic material. The resulting effluent (treated wastewater) is odorless, clear, clean and, where required, disinfected. It is by far one of the safest and healthiest ways of sewage and wastewater disposal in the world.
The system is clean, efficient, silent, and reliable. There are no inconvenient septic trench overflows or odors. The water from your system can be used to irrigate your non-edible garden. It is safe and clean; just what healthy plants and flowers need. In fact, it’s just what the environment needs!
APPENDIX E
|
Population |
Pop 10k< |
Muni’s >10k Pop |
Muni’s >10k # |
Muni’s 10k< # |
Muni’s 5k< # |
Rural Pop. |
|
|
|
|
|
| British Columbia |
4,400,057 |
250,557 |
3,538,137 |
29 |
71 |
55 |
611,363 |
|
| Alberta |
3,645,257 |
306,009 |
2,734,165 |
25 |
85 |
63 |
605,083 |
|
| Manitoba |
1,208,268 |
105,977 |
768,966 |
6 |
38 |
33 |
333,325 |
|
| New Brunswick |
751,171 |
69,849 |
218,691 |
5 |
25 |
21 |
208 |
|
| Newfoundland & Labrador |
514,536 |
86,875 |
218,691 |
5 |
25 |
21 |
208,970 |
|
| Northwest Territories |
41,462 |
6,209 |
18,352 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
16,901 |
|
| Nova Scotia |
921,727 |
100,483 |
420,855 |
7 |
30 |
24 |
400,389 |
|
| Nunavut |
31,906 |
15,377 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
6 |
16,529 |
|
| Ontario |
12,851,821 |
671,136 |
10,612,540 |
66 |
205 |
166 |
1,568,145 |
|
| Prince Edward Island |
140,204 |
8,190 |
57,353 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
74,661 |
|
| Quebec |
7,903,001 |
575,055 |
5,549,085 |
23 |
200 |
169 |
1,778,861 |
|
| Saskatchewan |
1,033,381 |
125,591 |
554,391 |
9 |
52 |
46 |
353,399 |
|
| Yukon |
33,897 |
0 |
20,562 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
13,335 |
|
| TOTAL |
33,476,688 |
2,321,308 |
24,711,788 |
179 |
743 |
611 |
5,981,169 |
|
|
|
|
|
Most of the Muni’s but not all would be on sewer |
Number of people not on sewer living in small towns or rural areas. |
8,302,477 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Break Down of Population (extracted from 2011 Census) to Micro Community Status for purposes of a Sewer and Septic System Evaluation for small and rural communities in Canada. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
APPENDIX F – Useful Links
DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ACT
DRINKING WATER PROTECTION REGULATION
Private Water Utilities
Small Water System Guidebook – For Privately Operated Systems
Small Drinking Water Systems: Who Does What in British Columbia?
Water Sustainability Act
Water Protection Act
Water Quality
