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| Rex Murphy (left), with Tim Constantine of CH2M Hill Canada, at the Opening Session. |
Photo Report by Tom Davey
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| Rex Murphy (left), with Tim Constantine of CH2M Hill Canada, at the Opening Session. |
Famed CBC commentator, Rex Murphy -- noted for his cutting asides -- eloquently mixed some hilarious views on Newfoundland politics with some thought-provoking analyses on the expectations of modern Canadians, in his keynote address at the 2001 Water Environment Association of Ontario Conference. Rex is a Rhodes Scholar who had studied at Oxford at the same time as Bill Clinton. After confessing to his own two failed Liberal campaigns in Newfoundland politics, he opined that Joey Smallwood thought of elections as being minor interruptions to his role of Premier. "Joey's idea of a caucus meeting was to have a second thought," he added, but, on the other hand, he added, John Crosbie's riding seemed to be comprised of "genetically programmed Tories".
Switching from levity to seriousness, he said the Walkerton E. coli tragedy had brought a great cloud over water issues. He pointed out the fundamental biblical words: Darkness would suffer a deluge and a firmament would appear. "We are at the end of scientific and social revolutions so this generation has not had the horrors of WW I and WW II." he said. "The advances and benefits from technology are unparalleled in our history, yet they have produced a gap between generations. The current generation has become accustomed to living standards which were unthinkable to their parents; but abundance in our supermarkets has been available, even to their parents."
"Now the UK and Europe are having massive slaughters of cattle and sheep because of foot and mouth disease, and threats of BSE; these are powerful reminders that disruptions are still part of our lives.
"But some modern green movements have made a fetish of the environment based on impulses that are almost religious in tone and often irrational," he said. As an example, he pointed out how a phosphorus plant had been built at Long Harbour in Newfoundland, near the sea three decades ago. Adjacent forests were denuded, fish schools were ravaged and a mountain of tailings emerged. Then after 30 years, the plant closed down. Seven years ago plans were made to put a state-of-the-art incinerator in Long Harbour. "Compared to the phosphorus plant," Rex Murphy said, "the incinerator would have been like taking a match into Hell. But the very idea of an incinerator provoked such an outcry of horror that the idea was killed -- clear evidence of a dramatic change in attitudes in 30 years at the very same location."
The news media does not do a good job in interpreting scientific realities, he admitted. On health and environmental issues, the present generation is remorseless when drinking water tragedies occur. The response to Walkerton had become larger than the tragedy itself.
At a news media session, held on the first day of the conference, Al Goodman, Past President of the Water Environment Federation, quoted a Water Infrastructure Network Report: Twenty-one non-profit, NGO, professional organizations had determined that a $2 trillion investment would be needed over the next 20 years in America. A funding gap of $23 billion more per year was needed than what is being invested to enhance the infrastructure (water and wastewater). The US needs $11 billion in drinking water and $12 billion in wastewater per year. Federal investments in the US have declined; grants have caused dependence and higher O&M in some cases (all figures are in US dollars).
The investment was needed, said Mr. Goodman, because of:
Stressing the values and impacts of water quality, he said that in the United States, clean water supports some $50 billion per year in water-based recreation, $300 billion per year in coastal tourism, and $45 billion per year in fishing and shell fishing industries. In spite of this, he pointed out that, in 1996, the US had 2,500 beach closures and 2,200 fish consumption advisories (PCB, toxics, etc.), affecting 15% of US lakes and 5% of its river miles.
The general public could seriously affect environmental professionals through lack of knowledge of systems,taken-for-granted attitudes, unawareness of real costs of service (<2% of household income for water and wastewater in the US), not knowing that there is now no "zero" in laboratory data, and a distorted perception of risk.
The WEAO Biosolids Committee organized two sessions at the Annual Conference appropriately entitled: Biosolids Management -- The Challenge of Tomorrow.
The morning session focused on the biosolids management issues facing generators. Long-term biosolids management plans being developed in the Regions of Peel and Niagara were discussed. An update was provided on nutrient management planning in the province and the relationship to biosolids land application programs. Dr. Mel Webber reported some of the recommendations that resulted from the WEAO-sponsored literature review on contaminants in biosolids.
The afternoon session involved presentations on a number of technological innovations related to biosolids treatment. Process and design changes were discussed that have successfully improved the biosolids quality produced from the anaerobic digestion process.
The new WEAO President is Bob Crane, City of Hamilton; Deborah Ross, KMK Consultants, is Vice President.
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