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MAY 2010
As President of the Association for 2010, it is my pleasure to report on the successes of CWWA in 2009 under the leadership of Thomas Schmidt and on the challenges we face in 2010.
Review of 2009
CWWA has two primary functions: informing members of federal and national policy, legislative initiatives that impact on their operations, and presenting members’ views on these to the relevant federal or national body.
Although 2009 continued to be a year of political turmoil federally, the Government continued to focus its activities on a number of major policy, legislative and program initiatives which could or would have directly affected municipal water and wastewater services. In 2009, the views of our members were presented to:
The legislative successes included creating an understanding by the proposing departments that the amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Act and the new Human Pathogens and Toxins Act would have an impact on municipal services unless the expected requirements for enhanced safety and security around treatment chemicals and human pathogens and toxins were modified. In the case of the former, the relaxations are expected in the regulations, in the case of the latter, modifications were introduced in the legislation. Comments were also submitted on the Energy Efficiency Act, which had implications for labelling water efficient devices.
On the regulatory front, CWWA submitted comments on a number of draft regulations and was actively involved in several consultation initiatives such as proposed Drinking Water Parameters, NPRI, the Fertilizers Regulations, the Statistics Canada survey of drinking water utilities, and the State of Municipal Infrastructure.
During the course of the year, CWWA issued 62 Communiqués to members alerting them to changes in federal regulations or programs or significant activities or events occurring in Canada and elsewhere, in addition to the regular 10 times a year Bulletin, and the twice yearly Canadian Municipal Water News & Review.
A third function of the Association is to host national Conferences and Workshops. In 2009, we hosted the 3rd Canadian National Conference and Policy Forum on Wastewater Management in Niagara Falls, ON (September), the 3rd Canadian National Conference and Policy Forum on Water Conservation and Efficiency in Victoria, BC (October), and the annual CWWA “Window on Ottawa” Forum and Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, ON (early December).
Looking Forward - 2010
A clear focus for the Association in 2010 is the review of the proposed Regulations under the Fisheries Act. CWWA coordinated the comments of the major utilities across the country and submitted a position brief on the Regulations. As the regulations are expected to be in the Canada Gazette in December 2010, CWWA will be closely watching this activity. Also on the wastewater side, CWWA will be watching and working with the CCME Task Force on Biosolids which may be issuing draft reports during the year. Infrastructure asset management is of course of increasing importance, and CWWA will be working with other national partners on this file and through international partners in the ISO on the development of technical guidance in this complex field.
Ten Communiqués have already been issued in 2010 on new Regulations promulgated or other items of interest or effect on members, and CWWA will be monitoring Parliament and the Canada Gazette for new legislative and policy initiatives.
CWWA will remain involved in:
As a member of the Canadian National Committee for the International Water Association (IWA), CWWA is actively involved in the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition (Montréal, QC, September 19-24, 2010).
I can assure you, CWWA will remain active through 2010, in providing a national voice for municipal water and wastewater utilities, and take this opportunity to thank you for your support.
Greg Chartier, Msc., P. Eng.
President
Under Construction