Presentation, January 27th 2010, to the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee by Mr Bob Furber, a resident of Saanich and a retired chemical engineer who has also been involved in the design and commissioning of sewage treatment facilities.
RESOURCE RECOVERY FROM SEWAGE?
In the December 9th CRD board meeting, my sense was there was universal support for resource recovery from Victoria's sewage: This would end up being the real justification for spending a Billion dollars on land-based sewage treatment.
The recent "RESOURCE RECOVERY STUDIES" by Stantec try very hard to make a case for resource recovery by making highly questionable assumptions:
- Do we really believe we can find clients willing to pay for low grade heat in warm water, when they can generate high grade heat from natural gas at almost the same price[1]?
- ..Clients willing to pay the same price as potable water for reclaimed effluent, despite the crippling restrictions on its use[2]?
- ..Clients willing to pay through the nose to retrofit their systems to make use of these “resources” when there is no financial incentive to do so?
- Do we really believe that a complex $12 million[3] heat recovery system with massive heat pumps can be repaired and maintained for a mere $15 thousand/a[4]?
- ..and so the underlying assumptions go on..
But, even if you are credulous enough to believe these assumptions, the reports still tell us that resource recovery will incur huge operating losses until the year 2030 and then, after this date, there is [still] no financial benefit from resource recovery[5]. Described more colourfully in the University of Victoria report: “..the economic analysis of heat extraction has indicated the payback period is beyond the life expectancy of the equipment”[6].
So, how can the CRD continue to support this Billion Dollar Sewage Treatment project when there is not a shred of evidence to indicate that the marine ecology will be improved or non-existent health risks will be reduced? And now we are told “there is no financial benefit from resource recovery”?
Are Saanich residents prepared to accept the destruction of their beloved Haro Woods to erect a model sewage treatment plant designed to maximize resource recovery, and then pay through the nose to subsidize the recovery of resources that no one wants?
Are committee members and CRD directors still prepared to allow this pointless megaproject to siphon monies away from health, education and social services initiatives that are already reeling from cutbacks?
We all recall the Fast Ferry Fiasco of the late 1990's. Please stop this one while you still can.
Thank you,
Bob Furber
Retired Chemical Engineer
Member of the Association for Responsible and Environmentally Sustainable Sewage Treatment
www.aresst.ca
[1] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, Effluent Reuse and Heat Recovery for the University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 75, 12.4 projected Revenues.
[2] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, …University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 39.
[3] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, …University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 74.
[4] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, …University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 75, 12.3 Operations and Maintenance Cost.
[5] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, …University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 42.
[6] Core Area Wastewater Treatment Program, …University of Victoria and Surrounding Area, page 88.