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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.
In February 2010 Environment Canada released the long anticipated draft of federal wastewater regulations that were developed to safeguard Canadian waterways from the growing threat of pollution from municipal wastewater (sewage) systems. Ottawa Riverkeeper and other Canadian environmental organizations are concerned that these proposed new wastewater regulations are full of loopholes that ...
In October of 2006, the Clean Water Act became law and Ontario began spending millions of dollars to protect your drinking water (municipal tap water). The Province delegated local conservation authorities to form Source Protection Committees (SPCs) and these committees were given the incredibly important and challenging task of preparing a source protection plan for their sub-watersheds. Read more…
Following public consultation sessions (held at various locations throughout the city), meetings with city staff, and a more detailed review of the 16 projects proposed in the Ottawa River Action Plan, I am pleased to provide Ottawa Riverkeeper’s recommendation on the best option to reduce combined sewer overflow’s (CSOs) and measurably improve the health of the Ottawa River. In the ...
Ottawa Riverkeeper endorses the Blue Summit Declaration, an urgent call for a national water policy and action on water justice, water security, water democracy and water knowledge. The declaration was announced on November 27, 2009, in Ottawa at Blue Summit, an event organized by Council of Canadians. With Council of Canadians and 12+ other national organizations, Ottawa Riverkeeper is proud ...
On Friday, November 20th the City of Ottawa announced the creation of the Ottawa River Action Plan; “a working plan to protect the health of the Ottawa River”. The Action Plan aims to address the issue of combined sewer overflows in the city and outlines 16 projects to ensure “cleaner water, safer beaches, and a better environment”. The City has launched a public website ...
The geographical location of the Ottawa River presents unique jurisdictional challenges; it draws the line between two provinces, flows through the heart of Canada’s National Capital, and is the lifeblood of each of the municipalities that have grown along its shores. In addition, a handful of federal and provincial agencies have a vested interest in the River; Environment, Fisheries and ...
City trades health of waterways for more developable land – bad deal for residents Tributaries play an important and understated role in the ecological health of our rivers and our communities. Small waterways – like tributaries of the Carp River – help store and transport stormwater away from developed (urban and suburban) areas, therefore reducing the risk of flooding. ...
The year 2009 could very well be landmarked as Ottawa’s “year of sewage”, or equally as upsetting, “a very bad year for the river”. So far this year, more than 800 million litres of untreated sewage has overflowed from city pipes into the Ottawa River. We shattered records for total rainfall and total number of rain events. Local news networks are buzzing with back-to-back reports ...
RIVERKEEPER’S POINT OF VIEW: There’s trouble on-tap in Smiths Falls. On June 1, 2009 Aquablue Spring Water International announced plans to move in to the former Hershey Canada plant, with the intention of bottling municipal water for foreign export. The news came as a relief to some after the community of 10,000 suffered a series of devastating economic losses; the closure of the Hershey plant, the forced shut down of a local health facility, and downsizing in the packaging/paper industry.