regional sanitary services - from policies to capital projects

Fraser Valley Regional District

Sanitary Services – From Policies to Capital Projects

Presentation at BCWWA Annual Conference: WhistlerMay 2014

http://www.csrd.bc.ca/

REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY

The Team

Ehren Lee, P.EngWater ConsultantUrban Systems

Tareq Islam, P.EngDirector of Community Services

FVRD


Key Message

Your most important engineering challenges need policy.


What’s important about policy?

• Decision makers approve your projects.

• Align with the rules and big-picture goals for long-term buy in.

• Risk – and the dialogue that comes with it – helps shape policy.


Study Background• Private sanitary sewer systems are not

effectively maintained • Coordination among agencies needs to improve• Our land use and development decisions make

things worse• Budgets are low for sanitary-environmental

projects


Study Background

REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERYDecision makers approve your projects.

• Overcome ▫ “Council just doesn’t get it.” ▫ “You haven’t made this work for the public.”▫ Policy is the conversation where both sides learn what is

at stake

• With policy support your budgets in future years can be more certain▫ “Carrying out this project comes from Policy 04-1834

approved by Council last year.”

REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERYDecision makers approve your projects.


Policy Structure• Vision and Objectives

▫ Key Outcome #1 – all new sanitary systems to be publicly owned

▫ Key outcome #2 is to create bylaws for on-site septic systems in priority areas

• Sustainable Sanitary Sewer Service Delivery▫ Bylaw assessment and update▫ Regional Management Plans – issues, solutions, costs. ▫ 44 policies


Policy Structure


Regional Management Plans - Summary


VisionThe FVRD supports sustainable rural communities by taking a proactive, regional and holistic approach to sanitary sewer service provision. This comprehensive approach ensures all users in these communities have access to infrastructure that protects public health and the environment.

The FVRD, in collaboration with senior government agencies and through ownership of sanitary infrastructure, is a provincial leader in providing effective and efficient rural sanitary sewer services.


Full Regulatory Gap Analysis• Review applicable legislation, regulations, standards

▫ MWR, SSR▫ Interviews with other RD’s▫ Include FH and MoE and MCSCD in process

• Framework for Regulatory Gap Review▫ What does this ‘law’ apply to?▫ What does it do?▫ What does it not do?


Full Regulatory Gap Analysis


Full Regulatory Gap Analysis• What is a gap?

▫ “The difference between where you currently are and where you want to be”.


Policy Structure• Align policies to gaps

▫ Service delivery – community systems▫ Cost recovery▫ On-site individual systems▫ Priority setting framework▫ System acquisition


Policy Structure


Risk and Policy• Use risk to explain impacts to community; to

people• Use risk management to develop levels of

service• Use risk as the justification for taking on a new

project ▫ Only after the first two are complete


Risk and Policy• Use visual analysis. A lot. ▫ These are current conditions.


Risk and Policy• Use visual analysis. A lot.

▫ This is what’s at stake



▫ This is how we’ll create order – achieve our vision.


Risk and Policy• Use risk to explain impacts to community; to

people• Use risk management to develop levels of

service• Use risk as the justification for taking on a new

project ▫ Only after the first two are complete

• Use risk to explain how to achieve your vision


Key Message

Your most important engineering challenges need policy.


Client Feedback• How has the Sanitary Gap Analysis made your job

easier?▫ The report is a one-stop shop for me▫ The tool I need to work with public, staff and politicians▫ Our direction for bylaws, infrastructure and management

plans

• How has the Sanitary Gap Analysis helped other departments?▫ This is their one-stop shop for electoral area sewer issues


Client Feedback• What actions are you about to take with the project

completed?▫ Complete infrastructure upgrades in our public systems▫ Tackle a LWMP with purpose and political support▫ Update bylaws and start to elevate enforcement

• Why is policy important for engineering works?▫ A successful engineering department is guided by its

policy▫ Cost recovery stems from policy and budgets are critical


Thank you!

Questions?

Ehren Lee, P.EngWater ConsultantUrban Systems

Tareq Islam, P.EngDirector of Community Services

FVRD

regional sanitary services - from policies to capital projects

Engineering