C-4.3 Identify Various Environmental Agencies with Concerns to Sewage Disposal
Onsite Sewage Systems
Onsite sewage systems are effective at treating household sewage when properly designed and installed in appropriate soil and maintained regularly. In typical onsite sewage systems, the wastewater from toilets and other drains flows from your house into a tank that separates solids and scum from the liquid. Bacteria help break down the solids into sludge. The liquid flows out of the tank into a network of pipes buried in a disposal field of gravel and soil. Holes in the pipes allow the wastewater to be released into the disposal field. These systems can be efficient and cost-effective and can protect public health and the environment. However, they must be properly planned, installed, and, above all, properly maintained.
Enacted in 2005, the Sewerage System Regulation (SSR) applies to all smaller systems, including those for houses, small businesses, and even small community systems. Compared to the previous Sewage Disposal Regulation, the SSR includes a significant change in approach. The new approach is performance-based, and responsibility for the proper design and installation of onsite systems has been transferred for the most part from health authorities to “authorized persons,” as defined by the SSR.
Organizations Concerned with Sewage Disposal
- The Ministry of Health (Health Protection Branch): Still plays a role in onsite systems by holding records of sewage systems and enforcing the regulations to protect public health.
- BC Onsite Sewage Association (BCOSSA) and Western Canada Onsite Wastewater Management Association (WCOWMA): Develop educational programs for onsite wastewater practitioners and provide technical information to industry stakeholders and practitioners.
- Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC): The association for technology professionals in British Columbia. The ASTTBC also registers practitioners once they have obtained the required training.
- Onsite Wastewater Registration Program (ASTTBC): Provides information for onsite wastewater service providers.
- Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC): The licensing body for professional engineers and geoscientists. Only professional engineers and geoscientists are permitted to construct and/or maintain a Type 3 sewerage system.
- BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA): This organization supports over 3700 water and wastewater professionals in BC and the Yukon with training, educational opportunities, technology transfer and networking opportunities.
- Local Governments (Municipal and Regional Governments in BC): Provides links to regional and municipal governments in the province to help locate any pertinent bylaws under respective jurisdictions.
Self-Test C-4.3: Identify Various Environmental Agencies with Concerns to Sewage Disposal
Complete Self-Test C-4.3 and check your answers.
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References
Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia. (n.d.). ASTTBC. https://asttbc.org/
Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia. (n.d.). Onsite wastewater registration program. https://asttbc.org/registrants/onsite-wastewater/
BC Industry Training Authority. (2019). Piping trades apprenticeship program: Use Tools and Equipment—Level 1 harmonized [Binder]. Crown Publications, Queen’s Printer for British Columbia. https://www.crownpub.bc.ca/Product/Details/7960000261_S
- Plumber: Competency C-3 Use Codes, Regulations and Standards
- Steamfitter: Competency C-3 Use Codes, Regulations and Standards
- Sprinkler Fitter: Competency C-3 Use Codes, Regulations and Standards
BC Onsite Sewage Association. (n.d.). BC Onsite Sewage Association (BCOSSA). https://www.bcossa.com/
BC Water & Waste Association. (n.d.). BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA). https://bcwwa.org/
Camosun College. (2019). Line D: Organizational Skills —Competency D-4: Use codes, regulations and standards (Rev. ed.) [Learning guide]. BCcampus. https://collection.bccampus.ca/textbook/9MgG7bwy/
Camosun College. (2015). Trades Access Common Core Competency D-4: Use codes, regulations and standards. Victoria, B.C.: Crown Publications. Download for free from the B.C. Open Textbook Collection (https://open.bccampus.ca/browse-ourcollection/find-open-textbooks/).
Engineers and Geoscientists BC. (n.d.). Engineers and Geoscientists BC. https://www.egbc.ca/
Government of British Columbia. (n.d.). Local governments in British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments
Government of British Columbia. (n.d.). Ministry of Health. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health
Western Canada Onsite Wastewater Management Association. (n.d.). WCOWMA. https://www.wcowma.com/
Media Attributions
All figures are sourced from Industry Training Authority (2019) and/or Camosun College (2019) and are used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence unless otherwise noted. Images copyrighted by the BC Industry Training Authority are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.
