The petition
The core area municipalities of the Capital Regional District (Greater Victoria, BC) discharge screened liquid waste (99.97% water) through two deep ocean outfalls in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This engineered sewage disposal system is sustainable and environmentally friendly. There is no significant risk to human health, and monitoring shows no significant harm to the marine environment. Marine scientists are agreed that sewage treatment is a low priority in regard to protecting the marine environment.
The current system could be improved by 1) repairing or replacing antiquated storm drains that allow sewage to spill onto local beaches after heavy rain, and 2) enhancing the already-exemplary source control program, to prevent toxic materials from going down the drain.
Instead, the BC government has mandated planning for land-based secondary treatment. Construction is estimated to cost $1.2 billion, to be shared equally by local, provincial, and federal taxpayers. Operating costs will be paid 100% locally.
There are no demonstrated benefits from land-based treatment, and moving liquid waste onto land will both damage sensitive natural environments and create new risks for human health.
In violation of both Federal and Provincial guidelines for cost-benefit analysis, the Province has refused to commission an independent cost-benefit study to determine what benefits might be expected from land-based treatment, and whether those benefits justify the huge expenditure. There are many more useful ways that $1.2 billion might be used for the benefit of the local natural environment and human health.
See:
www.rstv.ca
http://nisoftware.com/sewage-c...
Whereas:
• There is no significant public health risk from Victoria’s current method of offshore liquid-waste disposal, and
• Monitoring has clearly shown that there is no significant impact on the local marine environment, and
• No assessment has yet been made of the environmental or health harms that could be caused by land-based sewage treatment plants.
• The scientific evidence does not support the Province’s order.
• Governments have a responsibility to act in the public interest and to consider objective evidence.
Therefore:
We, the undersigned, hereby petition the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and the Capital Regional District to make responsible, evidence-based public policy decisions, and to adhere to government guidelines on cost-benefit analysis.
Further, we ask that an independent cost-benefit study be commissioned comparing the current disposal system, the current system with enhancements to source control and storm drains, and land-based secondary sewage treatment.
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