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December 1, 2015 In This Issue
CWWA News
Member News
Federal Initiatives
Provincial News
Upcoming Events
Snippings and Clippings
MSU Mississauga Ltd.
Xylem Inc.
CG Industrial Specialties Ltd,
CWWA News
 
   
Everything went so well in Whistler. We were overwhelmed with positive comments from the delegates. Even the not-so-positive comments came in the form of helpful suggestions for improvement.
 
 
   
It is the support of our sponsors and exhibitors who help ensure a successful event. We want to thank everyone for their support.
 
Member News
 
   
A new training initiative was recently launched between youlearnwater (a branch of CWWA member WQM Consulting) and IWA Publishing, to provide specialist training for water managers and supervisors. The program will provide specialist training for more senior personnel, the people that make many of the decisions which determine drinking water safety and environmental protection. In an industry where the consequences of mistakes can be catastrophic if not life-threatening, up to date training and continual professional development (CPD) will help managers and supervisors to plan, foresee and minimise threats to the water supply and environmental quality.
 
 
   
The Water Environment Association of Ontario is excited and pleased to announce that the Board has hired Heather Tyrrell, CAE for the position of Chief Administrative Officer.
 
Federal Initiatives
 
   
Details of the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (the TPP) were released November 5, 2015. The government describes the TPP as "the largest, most ambitious free trade initiative in history."
 
 
   
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has launched The North American Portal on Climate Pollutants - a new web platform designed to make the data from air pollutant emissions inventories for Canada, Mexico and the United States comparable and easy for researchers and policy experts to use. The Portal involves three key components:
 
 
   
Canada’s new Liberal government has promised to roll back many of the changes to environmental laws introduced under the previous federal government. In particular, the Liberal platform promises to immediately review Canada's environmental assessment processes and introduce new measures to: restore robust oversight; expand opportunities for Canadians to express their views; and to require project advocates to choose the best technologies available to reduce environmental Impacts.
 
 
   
Buyandsell.gc.ca, the federal government’s procurement website, has introduced a feature that increases opportunities for collaboration among suppliers.
 
Kemetco Research Inc.
AdEdge Water Technologies, LLC
PPG Architectural Coatings Canada
Provincial News
 
   
The Ministry of the Environment of Ontario recently posted a notice that it intends to proceed with the proposal in O. Reg. 288/07 to set out the requirements for the size, appointment, and operation of source protection committees.
 
 
   
Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, Deron Bilous, has said that the province’s municipalities will benefit from a modernized Municipal Government Act (MGA) in time for the next municipal elections in 2017
 
 
   
On October 5, 2015, Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Communities, Land and Environment, Robert Mitchell, launched a series of Island-wide public meetings (ending November 26, 2015) to provide the government with feedback re: the development of PEI’s proposed new Water Act.
 
Upcoming Events
 
   
Visit the CWWA Events calendar for upcoming water events.
 
Snippings and Clippings
Edmonton Journal
Adams is utilities manager for the town of 7,000 people west of Edmonton, responsible each day for ensuring residents can wash, cook and drink safely from their household taps. There’s little fanfare for his critical role. The only time recognition might come is on those rare occasions when something goes wrong.
 
Water Canada
It is estimated that more than $80 billion is needed to repair and replace Canada’s aging drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater systems. Fifteen per cent of Canada’s watermains and 20 per cent of our drinking water plants are in fair to very poor condition, while 30 per cent of the country’s wastewater pipes and 40 per cent of our wastewater plants are in the same lamentable state
 
Water Canada
It is estimated that more than $80 billion is needed to repair and replace Canada’s aging drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater systems. Fifteen per cent of Canada’s watermains and 20 per cent of our drinking water plants are in fair to very poor condition, while 30 per cent of the country’s wastewater pipes and 40 per cent of our wastewater plants are in the same lamentable state
 
Water Canada
Ellen Schwartzel, acting environmental commissioner of Ontario, released the Commission’s Annual Report for 2014-2015 entitled, "Small Things Matter." In it, the commissioner recommended that the province move towards a full-cost accounting approach to water takings, that includes all water users.
 
Water Canada
The City of Guelph has developed a new Frozen Water Pipe Policy after last winter’s emergency that caused 49 main breaks, affected 376 home, and cost the city $625,000. The Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise committee will review the policy and make recommendations on November 3rd.
 
Treatment Plant Operator Magazine
The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office in Yutan, Nebraska, recovered a body from a lagoon at the Yutan Wastewater Treatment Plant on Thursday, Nov. 5. The victim, 66-year-old James McLaughlin from Mead, Nebraska, was discovered in his black Nissan Titan, which was submerged in the lagoon.
 
AWWA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency delivered its "Algal Toxin Risk Assessment and Management Strategic Plan for Drinking Water" to Congress on Tuesday, as required by the "Drinking Water Protection Act" (P.L. 114-45).
 
AWWA
The majority of this week’s National Drinking Water Advisory Council meeting focused on drafting recommendations for revising the Lead and Copper Rule. In August, a NDWAC workgroup completed its report for the council’s consideration. After evaluating the report and public comments, the NDWAC decided to forward the workgroup’s recommendations to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
 
AWWA
EPA held a public meeting last week to garner input on "Technologies for Legionella Control: Scientific Literature Review." The agency is providing this literature review -- primarily focused on disinfection technologies -- to assist building owners contemplating adding treatment for Legionella control.
 
WaterAid Canada
WaterAid released today the first-ever State of the World’s Toilets report, lending real world importance to the latest World Toilet Day poop emoji craze taking the Internet by storm on World Toilet Day.
 
CBC
Some zebra mussel experts say Shoal Lake is ripe for an infestation of the invasive water pest, even though they applaud the city for being proactive with plans to keep the mussels out of Winnipeg's drinking water.
 
Montreal Gazette
Over the last 50 years, the snow clearing period in Montreal has dropped from 103 days to 73. The summer season has become nine days longer, and is expected to become another 10 to 30 days longer still in the coming decades. Freeze-thaw episodes have increased by 30 per cent since 1942, heightening the need for more spreading of salt and workers on the road. Days with more than 30 millimetres of rain have increased by 64 per cent, increasing episodes of flooded basements and snarled traffic. These statistics are expected to worsen as the planet warms further still.
 
CBC
The water that supplies aquifers and wells that billions of people rely on around the world is, from a practical perspective, mostly a non-renewable resource that could run out in many places, a new Canadian-led study has found.
 
Digital Journal
With the economic toll of California’s drought expected to hit $2.74 billion for 2015, water suppliers, investors and urban and agricultural users are seeking ways to reduce water consumption, according to Next 10’s issue brief, California Innovation and Meeting the Water Challenge.
 
Huffington Post
Plenty of industries "still pay nothing" for drawing millions of litres of Ontario water thanks to outdated blanket laws, according to the province's acting environmental commissioner.
 
Cleantech Canada
Ontario’s long-term strategy to fight climate change came Tuesday with lofty visions, scant details and an accusation of a politically motivated release. The strategy broadly envisions a low-carbon economy, a carbon-neutral government sector, more energy-efficient buildings and more electric vehicles on the roads, but offers little new information about the Liberal government’s specific goals or how it plans to achieve them.
 
Cleantech Canada
Alberta took what it hopes will be the first step toward shedding its status as international environmental pariah by revealing its climate change plan. The plan, the result of months of study and public input, will introduce a broad-based carbon tax that would apply across the economy. The government will move to phase out the province’s coal-fired power generation by 2030.
 
 

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