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FCM REALITY CHECK: LACK OF FUNDING BIGGEST LOOPHOLE IN WASTE WATER REGULATIONS

From FCM – Canadian municipalities support the intent of new federal wastewater standards and are now calling on federal, provincial and territorial governments to close the biggest loophole in the proposed regulations – the lack of a national funding strategy.

FCM Annual Conference

Implementation costs underestimated
The proposed regulations will directly affect 400 cities and communities and require the reconstruction or replacement of 1 in 4 of Canada´s wastewater treatment systems. Early analysis shows the proposed regulations underestimate the implementation costs. In fact, the estimated cost of meeting these regulations in just four cities – Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax and St. John´s – nearly exceeds the regulation´s estimated cost for the entire country. 

RoadMap: Full FCM Position

By Graham Zeisner in Association, Sewer & Wastewater on May 20th, 2010 - No Comments »
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OPWA – National Public Works Week (NPWW)

National Public Works Week (May 16-22, 2010) is a celebration of the tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as public works.  The OPWA Kick-off Event and Pioneers Luncheon (Thursday, May 13th) featured 7 excellent speakers discussing public works infrastructure/asset management current status, issues and several important future challenges.       

Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas, Allan Magi, Andrew Pollock and Mike Price discuss “Challenges for the Next Decade”.

 Wally Wells, P.Eng., Wells Infrastructure Group Inc. (“Asset Management BC”) outlined the status of the Local Government Asset Management Working Group (LGAMWG).  The group has finalized their terms of reference, vision, mission and objectives.  The ‘way forward’ for the group will be:       

• PSAB 3150 follow-up (i.e. condition assessment guidelines)
• Integration – focus on core strengths and deliverables
• Communication – get the message out and solicit input from stakeholders; educate public and politicians
• BC Knowledge Product – follow up actions
• Pilot projects – find practical asset management (AM) solutions
• Tools – create a ‘tool chest’ for sustainable AM
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Michael Mortimer, P.Eng., Program Manager, CSA Standards provided an update on CSA training and publications for buildings and municipal public works.  The Municipal Infrastructure Solutions Program (MSIP) focuses on delivering practical, pragmatic and proven tools and services in the form of new standards, best-practice guides, technologies and training offerings.
Currently there are 14 technical committees/working groups established to guide the development of additional courses and publications.  CSA would welcome additional knowledgeable participants on these advisory committees.
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An excellent round table discussion –“Challenges for the Next Decade”- featured Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas, P.Eng., York Region (transportation), Allan Magi, P.Eng., City of Birlington (facilities), Andrew Pollock, Niagara Region (solid waste) and Mike Price, P.Eng., Mike Price& Associates Inc. (water/wastewater).
Some of the issues/challenges outlined included:    

Transportation
• Fiscal sustainability
• Accommodating urban growth
• Succession planning     

Facilities
• Performance measurement similar to linear assets needed
• Consistent condition assessment approach (i.e. facility condition index)
• Energy management
• Funding/inflation
• Multiple use facilities to address aging population and recent immigration patterns/interests   

The new MTO maintenance facility at Hwy 401/Hurontario was built with the latest green technologies. It will require consistent condition monitoring and assessment to ensure full service life.

  Waste Management
• Recycling – move to full producer responsibility (Waste Diversion Act/June 2010)
• Composting – 2nd generation plants, different/conflicting methods; biofuel
• Disposal – landfill capacity; district heating potential/projects (Durham); fuel production from waste    

Water/Wastewater
• Source Protection – world-wide and in Canada
• Future design/capacities of infrastructure – considering reductions in usage (i.e. condos)
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The keynote speaker Reg Andres, P.Eng., Vice President, R.V. Anderson Associates Limited presented ‘Sustainable Infrastructure Management – Where We Are & Where We Are Going”. 
His main message for OPWA members….asset management has come a long way; OPWA members need to lead the way into the future; continue to get the message out regarding infrastructure management, funding and sustainability.
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RoadMap:
• National (Canada) Asset Management
• Asset Management International – Dr. Penny Burns (Australia) 
CentreLine:   “An asset without a user is an asset without a value” 

By Graham Zeisner in Association, Buildings & Grounds, Fleet, Roads & Bridges, Sewer & Wastewater, Solid Waste Disposal/Recycling, Transportation, Water on May 19th, 2010 - No Comments »
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Government of Canada delivers on wastewater rules: proposed regulations released today

OTTAWA, Ont. — March 19, 2010 — Environment Minister Jim Prentice today announced that the proposed Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations have been published in Canada Gazette, Part I beginning the formal 60-day public comment period.

“Last month, I released a public-consultation draft of the regulations because we wanted to hear back from Canadians. And today with the Canada Gazette posting, we are again listening to Canadians and working to make the proposed wastewater regulations law.  These are concrete steps we are taking to make sure that Canadians continue to enjoy water that is clean, safe and plentiful for generations to come,” said Minister Prentice. ”

RoadMap: Full News Release

By Graham Zeisner in Sewer & Wastewater, Water on March 19th, 2010 - No Comments »
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No Dig Sewer Replacement Technology in the City of Ottawa

Resin Liner Saves Millions in Project Cost

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The rehabilitation of the Rideau River Interceptor Sewer in Ottawa is partly completed using cured-in-place technology.

The City of Ottawa faced a huge project management challenge – including prohibitive cost concerns – two years ago when they planned replacing manholes along a sewer line deep beneath the west bank of the Rideau River.  Until recently, the project to replace the manholes and original clay sewer line (constructed in 1899) was put on hold.  A 500 meter section was repaired in 2009 but another 2 kilometres under the river, Queensway and river park shoreline needed replacement.  Needless to say, several environmental impact studies and permits would be required before construction even started.

However all that proved to be unnecessary using “cured-in-place pipe liner which inserts a new, flexible resin liner into the old pipe, essentially putting a new modern pipe inside the fragile old one.  Thanks to the City of Ottawa staff (Rick Legault) and competent contractual staff (Veolia Environmental Services) the job is now well underway and is expected to cost about 75% less than originally anticipated (i.e. full construction costs).

Full Story:  Ottawa Citizen

RoadMap: Video of project in the Ottawa Citizen

CentreLine: Knowledgeable, resourceful Municipal and contractual staff are the best solution to satisfactory project completion.

By Graham Zeisner in Sewer & Wastewater on March 1st, 2010 - No Comments »
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National Public Works Week 2010

When I joined APWA in 2004, I received a very comprehensive package of promotional material in the mail which included a letter of thanks, information about their services, the Info Now network, the historical society, benefits of membership and a publications/resources catalogue. Needless to say, I was impressed and as we all know…you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”.

Harry Campbell's graphic interpretation of the theme "Public Works: Above, Below & All Around You".

Over the years their publications and promotional materials have been consistently relevant, essential and timely. The National Public Works Week (NPWW) flyer that I received this week is no exception. The flyer cover – a copy of the 2010 NPWW poster by illustrator Harry Campbell – is an amazing interpretation of the theme “Public Works: Above, Below, & All Around You” .

Harry’s distinctive graphic line illustration work can be found in most major publications including The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, and many others. A graduate of The Maryland Institute College of Art where he also has taught. Campbell has received numerous awards from The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, and American Illustration.

National Public Works Week (NPWW) 2010 is celebrated on May 16-22. Instituted as a public education campaign by the American Public Works Association (APWA) in 1960, NPWW calls attention to the importance of public works in community life. The Week seeks to enhance the prestige of the often–unsung heroes of our society–the professionals who serve the public good every day with quiet dedication.

The Association of Ontario Road Supervisors (AORS) has formally partnered with the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) – A Chapter of APWA/CPWA. One of the goals of this agreement is to cross promote the partner’s significant events and awards including NPWW. OPWA has two awards available for NPWW in Ontario including:

  • Municipalities with more than 150,000 (The Bruce Brunton Trophy)
  • Municipalities with populations of 150,000 or less (The Roger Brown Trophy).

Township of Scugog staff and elected officials - winners of the Roger Brown Trophy.

The 2009 winner in the first category was the City of Brampton and the second category was the Township of Scugog. Congratulations to both Municipalities and their staff or organizing such great programs that met the strategic objectives of the program.

In my opinion, NPWW activities are like APWA publications. They’re opportunity to make a great impression…a lasting impression of your Municipal public works department and its important role in providing essential quality of life services in our communities. From my conversations with representatives of the winning teams, it doesn’t take a great deal of time or resources to make any NPWW celebratory event memorable. On the other hand, the benefits – award and trophies notwithstanding – including increased morale, teamwork and pride amongst participating Municipal staff are enormous.

So….don’t forget those dates…..May 16-22. If you and your Municipality are interested in supporting NPWW in Ontario please contact anyone at OPWA or AORS or better yet, talk to the Municipalities who have participated in the past. There is no sense in reinventing the wheel.
These folks have lots of experience and good ideas so tap into it.

CentreLine: NPWW is an opportunity to shout from the rooftops “We are public works”.

By Graham Zeisner in AORS, Association, Buildings & Grounds, Certification & Training, Fleet, Municipal Elected Officials, Parks & Recreation, Roads & Bridges, Sewer & Wastewater, Snow & Ice Control, Solid Waste Disposal/Recycling, Stormwater, Transportation, Water, Winter on February 17th, 2010 - No Comments »
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Canada’s Local Governments/Cities Legislation Is Antiquated

According to a recent study by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy Canadian municipal law is characterized by its prescriptive rules-based codes of compliance. That contrasts starkly with modern local government laws of other countries which seek to facilitate best-management practice by setting outcomes rather than rules. The approach of other countries leads to a performance and service-delivery framework designed to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of local taxpayers and residents.

All Canadians rely on a municipality of some kind to provide essential infrastructure, and unlike their dealings with private enterprises, which are disciplined by competition, they face a monopoly for the services that a municipality provides.

The study – Creating proper incentives for Canada’s cities through smart provincial legislation: A best-practice model of local government – compares municipal law in New Zealand with equivalent law in Canada. The New Zealand Act provides for the following:

  • It sets local government outcomes that can be achieved within practically based best-practice management processes;
  • These include asset and financial long-term planning, consultative process and democratic decision-making

Recommendations and likely results:

  • Canada should adopt much of New Zealand’s local government legislation.
  • Federal support for local provincial government law reform could be an impetus for change for the provinces. This might take the form of linking federal infrastructure funding to the required improvements in law.

This adoption would have the following results:

  • It would improve local government performance. There is no argument that improvements are necessary, as Canadian municipalities score poorly when measured on a number of international performance scales.
  • The national economy would benefit directly from local government law reform. Much of the economy’s vital arterial economic lines of production and supply, the nation’s roads and the water and waste-water systems, are owned and managed by the municipalities.

RoadMap:  View entire report as .pdf – 57 pages

Ontario Municipalities have reported on their tangible capital assets and move from a modified accrual format to full accrual accounting with new financial statements since 2009.  The Municipal Finance Officers’ Association (MFOA) and the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), have forged a strategic partnership to provide ongoing information and education to assist municipal staff who will have to deal with the changes. The PSAB/Asset Management web site is designed to be a resource and information-sharing centre.ongoing information and education to assist municipal staff who will have to deal with the changes.

CentreLine:  Infrastructure assets can be properly maintained and monitored if  the legal framework of municipal operations is specifically designed to mandate best-practice asset management as measured by performance-based systems.

By Graham Zeisner in Association, Municipal Elected Officials, Roads & Bridges, Sewer & Wastewater, Solid Waste Disposal/Recycling, Transportation on February 3rd, 2010 - No Comments »
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ENR – Images of The Year in Construction

mtohurontario

My photo of the new MTO depot under construction does not have the same dramatic effect as many of the ENR construction images of the year.

One thing I have learned about blog posts is that they require good quality graphics/pictures to supplement and validate the content and add visual context to the story.  Knowing this I purchased a good camera and a few lens and enrolled in some photography courses at a college here in Ottawa.  This new equipment combined with a modest improvement in my photography skills have added – in my humble estimation – to the quality of my blog.

I’m still very much an beginner photographer but when you look at the winners – selected by a panel of judges from 1,752 entries – of Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) Annual Photo Contest, you will notice that some are memorable images that come from amateur photographers.

These amazing photos are comparable to anything I have seen on photojournalism websites and were taken with digital SLR or point and shoot cameras.  Very impressive.  Which is your favourite?  Mine without a doubt is no. 24.  (Epifanio Talania Jr., Plant Hoist Engineer, Arabtec Construction LLC, Dubai).  Amazing perspective.

CentreLine: “those excellent amateur photos prove digital cameras have democratized high-quality photography to a degree never imagined by George Eastman, and the construction industry is a key beneficiary” – ENR.com

By Graham Zeisner in Roads & Bridges, Sewer & Wastewater, Technology, Water on December 31st, 2009 - No Comments »
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Improving Infrastructure Management – Municipal Investments in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

The Conference Board of Canada – Report November 2009

The Conference Board of Canada is – according to their website – the foremost, independent, not-for-profit applied research organization in Canada.  They provide objective analyses, in report, conference e-proceedings and webinar form, of key economic, organizational performance and public policy issues of interest to their members.

A  new report released last week recommends that there must be a cultural shift away from below-cost pricing to rates that fully recover the cost of providing the service.  The report, Improving Infrastructure Management: Municipal Investments in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, is published as part of CanCompete, a three-year program of research and dialogue designed to help leading decision makers advance Canada on a path of national competitiveness.

Municipal water and sewer infrastructure construction and maintenance is capital intensive and requires long term stable revenue sources.

Municipal water and sewer infrastructure construction and maintenance is capital intensive and requires long term stable revenue sources.

Report Highlights:

  •  This report discusses the value of using better rate structures, demand management, conservation, investments, and other methods so that water use is more efficient.
  •  Water and wastewater infrastructure planning is based on the essential services that water provides. Access to potable water, wastewater gathering, and wastewater treatment are key contributors to healthy citizens and communities. A reliable supply of water that meets appropriate quality standards is considered essential in Canadian society.
  •  The primary focus of this report is on investment in municipal water infrastructure.  The investment funds come from a variety of sources. Given the long-term and capital-intensive nature of water infrastructure, observers stress the importance of long-term stability in revenue sources and financings. There is broad evidence of a water infrastructure deficit in Canada, suggesting that an imbalance currently exists. As a starting point, the report describes the broad revenue sources and financing methods available to municipal water providers.

 RoadMap:   A downloadable version of the full report can be found here on their website/e-library.  You will be asked to sign in and there is no charge for the document.

Learn More: 

 Related Posts:

 CentreLine:   Important first steps are to understand the state of existing civil public works infrastructure assets and to identify the investment required.

By Graham Zeisner in Sewer & Wastewater on November 26th, 2009 - No Comments »

Learn to speak the language of water.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has announced the publication of the second edition of The Water Dictionary.

The Water Dictionary, Second Edition

The Water Dictionary, Second Edition

This essential desk reference has been newly updated and expanded, providing standardized definitions for more than 15,000 water- and wastewater-related words, phrases, acronyms, chemicals, microorganisms, units of measure, calculations and formulas, and more.

The dictionary is written by James M. Symons, Ph. D and edited by Nancy McTigue, Environmental Engineering & Technology, Inc.

CentreLine: I think a similiar publication related to roads would be useful for AORS and our partners to develop.

By Graham Zeisner in Association, Sewer & Wastewater, Water on November 25th, 2009 - No Comments »
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OPWA Fall Workshop

The Voice of Public Works in Ontario

New Developments in Stormwater and Wastewater Treatment in a Changing Environment

Date:  Thursday, November 5th, 2009.

RoadMap:  Program and Registration Form (.pdf)

By Graham Zeisner in Association, Sewer & Wastewater, Stormwater on October 5th, 2009 - No Comments »

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