Water Haller:Very busy as YOUR national voice ...asbestos-cement pipe, flushable standard, Canada Infrastructure Bank and more
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It’s never really slow in Ottawa, but lately, we have been really busy responding to national issues and federal programs. Just in the last few weeks, CWWA has produced:
Position Paper on Flushability – We’ve been battling with the manufacturers of so-called flushable wipes for over ten years to either stop calling them flushable or make a wipe that truly is flushable. CWWA has been leading a world effort to develop an acceptable standard, based on research and science. CWWA was a founding member of the International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG) with wastewater associations from around the world. Together, we developed the IWSFG Publicly Available Specification (IWSFG-PAS) that was recognized in a US legal settlement and is now being accepted as the reasonable standard for products to be labeled ‘flushable’. There is a new logo that confirms that a product meets the standard. CWWA has now formally adopted this standard and will be asking all Canadian municipalities to recognize the standard and promote the logo. We just approved this position yesterday, so we will release it to all members by next week and it will be available on the website.
Asbestos-Cement Pipe – CTV’s W5 program has been calling around to Canadian utilities for months inquiring about how much asbestos-cement pipe they had. On the weekend (March 25-26) they aired a program titled "Something in the water”. With the use of lighting and scary music, they made the situation sound very ominous. In advance of the show, CWWA prepared Speaking Notes on the topic of Asbestos-Cement pipe clarifying that there is no convincing evidence that asbestos is harmful when ingested – just when inhaled. There are no guidelines in Canada concerning asbestos in water, and one maximum level set by the EPA in the US. Even the levels they cite in the show are small fractions of this maximum US limit. CWWA will bring this issue to Health Canada for consideration for more research. Meanwhile CWWA will prepare more detailed speaking notes along with some recommended best practices concerning corrosion control/maintenance, possible testing options, replacement planning, safe-handling during replacement or line breaks and hints for customers. These notes are on the website and detailed in the related article in this issue of the Bulletin.
Canada Infrastructure Bank – As their first five years wrap up, the CIB is conducting a review of their mandate and evaluating their impact. CWWA was asked to provide a submission which we will submit later this week. We will share it with you all by a separate e-blast soon and it will be on the website. Our main comments have been a concern that it has not been a viable option to the water sector. First concern is that municipalities are not eligible, while a municipal corporation, like EPCOR or Halifax Water, would be, since this would render most Canadian water utilities ineligible we have asked for a reconsideration of eligibility. Our second concern is that they only look at projects over $100 million, and preferably over $200 million. Again, this excludes all but the very largest water and wastewater projects. Finally, we suggested the CIB could also serve as an innovation insurance – promoting the adoption of approved Canadian innovation, while also providing assurance to us, the municipal utilities that cannot afford to take the risk and fail.
Other groups here are working on Climate Change and a National Adaptation Strategy, National Flood Risk, Cyber Security and a national survey on Natural Infrastructure.
Of course the other thing that keeps us busy is planning events. The Window on Ottawa/Water Canada Summit program looks really great. Ottawa in June is beautiful. Then of course the National Conference is in November. Remember Niagara Falls is for Lovers...of water!
