From Waste to Resource: Shifting Directions in Wastewater Management in the Capital Regional District
Future of Regional Wastewater Treatment
Over the last few decades, when the words “Victoria” and “sewage” were used together, it was usually in reference to the debate on why one of Canada’s major urban centers continues to discharge wastewater, with limited treatment, into the marine environment.
This debate has been heated and emotional on both sides of the issue. Ironically, the delay in moving to wastewater treatment may have been a blessing in disguise. As planning now moves ahead, the Victoria region has the opportunity to look at wastewater management from a different point of view—not as a waste to dispose of, but as a resource to utilize.
In a co-authored article published by Innovation Magazine, Rick Corbett and Dwayne Kalynchuk conclude that:
“the direction adopted by the CRD for future wastewater management is a bold change from traditional thinking. It considers wastewater as a resource that can be integrated into urban resource management planning. While not all of the ideas and opportunities for integrated resource management can or will be implemented in the short term, the key is that the CRD is planning for several decades in the future. The intent is to establish the fundamental concept and facility siting decisions, so that, over time, wastewater management truly becomes part of the water and energy resources in the community.”
About Rick Corbett and Dwayne Kalynchuk
Rick Corbett PEng MASc is Vice President of Environmental Engineering with the consulting firm Associated Engineering. He is currently leading a multi-firm consulting team in the planning of the Capital Regional District Core Area Wastewater Management Program. Dwayne Kalynchuk PEng is the General Manager – Environmental Services with the Capital Regional District.
Acknowledgment:
Extracted from the November/December 2008 issue of Innovation, the Journal of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia.
To read the complete article by Rick Corbett and Dwayne Kalynchuk, click on From Waste to Resource: Shifting Directions in Wastewater Management in the Capital Regional District.