COLLECTIVE VOICES, STRONGER IMPACT
I hope to continue to engage with provincial leadership and organizations to bring our message forward and create change in BC. wastewater utilities should be prioritized over bike lanes, parks and other amenities. As water industry professionals know, public perception around water and wastewater utilities is usually ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ These collective conversations about asset management remind us that utilities need to be brought to the forefront in the public conversation to properly address underserved facilities and the growing demand for water and wastewater delivery. Navigating regulations as water suppliers – Public health and the environment are non-negotiables when it comes to safeguarding our communities. 2025 is the 25th anniversary of Walkerton, where 2,300 people in the town of Walkerton, Ontario, fell ill due to contaminated water, and worse, seven people lost their lives. The Walkerton Tragedy allows our industry to reflect on the necessity of regulations. How do we navigate growing, increasing regulations when it comes to dam safety, health regulations and water quality standards in utilities and communities that are already understaffed and over budget on current requirements? More importantly, how do we ensure every Indigenous and First Nation community in this province and across this country can finally have access to clean, consistent drinking water?
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Watermark Winter 2025
An evolving workforce – Water and wastewater operations are part of public service work necessary for our communities. It is more critical than ever to attract and retain a skilled, knowledgeable, passionate and educated workforce to support this sector. BCWWA, EOCP and WSABC agree that incentivizing our young people to get into the industry by understanding that it is a rewarding and well-paid profession is critical. Through public education, awareness, engaging with high school-aged youth, etc., are all ways we can approach this growing concern.
Working collaboratively within these organizations will be a great starting point to navigate these issues that will not soon fade away. As an EOCP and BCWWA board member, operator, supplier and overall ‘water industry advocate,’ I hope to continue to engage with provincial leadership and organizations to bring our message forward and create change in BC. Resilient and robust water and wastewater infrastructure supported by an educated and skilled workforce – because our communities depend on it!
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