Septage: A forgotten waste - By Meredith Brown - Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Communities face increased environmental and health risks from failing septic systems and improper waste management.

I’ve recently written about the new Federal Wastewater Regulations that have been proposed by Environment Canada. Environment Minister Prentice has failed to tell us that these new regulations are not going to be enough to solve the full suite of sewage problems we find in our communities today. The federal strategy to manage sewage does not address septic systems (in Canada about 40 per cent of the population is serviced by septic systems) and it does not address sewage sludge (the solid portion of our sewage). Our rural communities are currently faced with environmental and health risks from failing septic systems and from the application of untreated sewage onto our land.

Many municipalities throughout the Ottawa River Watershed are faced with tough decisions about what to do with the sewage that they are generating. Believe it or not, in Ontario it is still perfectly legal to spread untreated sewage that is pumped from septic systems directly onto farmer’s fields. Sewage sludge is considered a threat to drinking water sources according to Ontario’s source water protection guidelines. Unfortunately there are still no legal tools to stop septage haulers from spreading our untreated sewage over our land, even land that will grow food crops.

I can often be heard describing today’s wastewater as a “toxic cocktail”; a disturbing mix of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and just about everything else we flush or wash down the drain. When it comes to managing sewage (and dealing with so many chemicals of emerging concern), the choices municipalities make can have impacts that last generations. Many substances of emerging concern cause cancer, the feminization of fish and frogs, and conditions that render our lakes and rivers unsuitable for swimming and fishing. Finding effective and affordable solutions is challenging. Decisions must take into consideration the future needs of our communities and incorporate a long-term strategy for protecting our environment and our health.

The municipalities within the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais (map) are in the midst of making an important decision regarding the management of septic tank sludge in the region. The majority of the population in the region is serviced by private septic systems that must be pumped out every several years, depending on use. Currently the majority of the septage that is pumped out is hauled in trucks to be treated at the Gatineau sewage treatment facility (for a fee). Unfortunately, the Gatineau facility is at capacity and can no longer accept septage from surrounding communities.

In December, the MRC retained an engineering firm to investigate the best options for going forward with treating septic waste in the region. On May 26, the engineers presented their final report to council, which can be retrieved here (French only). The presentation to council was followed by a period of public consultation. Ottawa Riverkeeper and the Friends of the Gatineau River provided a joint response to the MRC, outlining some of our concerns with the engineering report (and recommended solution). We also provided several recommendations that aim to help decision-makers get the information needed to make a responsible and informed choice.

Of particular concern to us is that the final report from the engineers does not provide enough information and detail for the municipalities in the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais to make a responsible decision regarding the future of septage waste in the MRC. The consultants have not provided an extensive overview of all the possibilities available to us, nor have they given justifiable and defendable reasons for eliminating some alternatives.

Of further concern is the effect that shifting wastewater regulation at the Federal level could have on the future legality of the project. Currently, provincial regulators have the authority to regulate sewage treatment in the Province of Quebec. All municipalities must monitor the impacts of the facilities (primarily impacts to surface water) and report to the province. However, that is about to change. Environment Canada has proposed the enactment of a Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulation to address the ongoing and serious problems caused by sewage pollution in Canadian waters. If passed, the new regulation would be enforced by Environment Canada. The proposed regulation sets new, more stringent national standards that must be met by wastewater treatment facilities as well as septage treatment facilities.

Ottawa Riverkeeper and Friends of the Gatineau River have identified 12 questions or criteria that should be used to compare alternatives that would give our elected officials the necessary information to make a responsible decision regarding what is the best solution to treat our regional septage. Clearly there are still many questions to answer and costs to determine. It is obvious that more time is required to find a feasible solution that protects our precious water resources.
The technology that is recommended by the consulted engineers (sludge dewatering followed by a conventional treatment lagoon) will not solve all of our problems, yet it will pollute our river at unacceptable (and likely illegal) levels and will likely cause odour problems for nearby residents.
Ottawa Riverkeeper and Friends of the Gatineau River have made the following recommendations the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais:


Recommendation #1
The MRC set up a regional septic collection and monitoring program as the first step towards a better solution to managing septage in each municipality within the
MRC.

Recommendation #2
While the regional collection and monitoring system is being developed and implemented and alternative technologies are being researched and evaluated, septage haulers should continue to use the established wastewater treatment facilities in Gatineau and Ottawa to treat septage from our region.

Recommendation #3
The contracted engineers should provide detailed information, including costs for the alternative solutions identified. All alternatives should be systematically ranked by scoring each alternative based on several criteria (costs, land required, impact on the river, etc.) that are given weights according to their importance. Technologies other than conventional lagoons should be explored.

Recommendation #4
Consider a phased approach to finding a solution that our region will be proud of that will meet future needs and regulatory demands. Land requirements are important to consider for each alternative. Given the current information and analysis deficit that we have identified in the Phase 1 report, it would be irresponsible to move ahead with site identification at this time. Site selection should be based on objective criteria that are determined by the technology that is ultimately selected.

Recommendation #5
Any engineering firm hired by the MRC should have strict conditions to design a system that will meet new national effluent standards at all times, including the winter months.

Ottawa Riverkeeper and the Friends of the Gatineau River are concerned about the impacts a septage treatment plant would have on the Gatineau River. Every year thousands of people swim, paddle and fish in the river. It is the lifeblood of the communities that are built along the great river’s shores. It is imperative that decision makers at the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais get all the facts before making a decision. We need to step up our actions and make decreasing water pollution a true priority.