Public Wastewater Education

Transcription

1 Public Wastewater Education It s a septic system. Not a black hole. Stu Campana Water Team Leader Ecology Ottawa

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4 Where Misunderstanding Prevails Survey discovers 1,000 failed septic systems in a rural Michigan county 300 homes found to be without any septic system at all Pumping sewage into farms, lakes and streams

5 The EPA Despairs Homeowners are frequently uninformed about how their conventional onsite systems work, how to maintain them, and about the potential for human health and ecosystem risks from poorly functioning systems. The prevailing public perception of conventional onsite systems is they are maintenance free. (EPA 1997)

6 Why? They don t understand how their system works They re afraid Consequently, system failures seem like acts of God, rather than avoidable (or at least delayable) problems

7 Why it Matters Homeowners are more willing to pay for new services if they understand why they are necessary. E.g. advanced systems with filters, pumps and controls Informed, responsible homeowners would help ensure that their systems are operated and maintained properly, and they will be more likely to support new management programs. (EPA) Environmental protection

8 Education Strategy Overview Explain how the system works. Like, really explain. Engage community leaders Social marketing: Identify key barriers to specific behaviours The problem needs to seem immediate and tangible

9 San Fernando, Philippines Several communities in San Fernando already have groundwater so polluted that you cannot dig an uncontaminated deep well. If we start now we can prevent it from getting even worse.

10 San Fernando: Problems Poor septic tank location Clean-outs covered by flooring or non-existent Drinking water contamination 56 of 59 surveyed wells showed high levels of E-coli contamination Exposed effluent 54% of homes with septic tanks discharge their effluent and greywater through open channels that lead to off-site surface waters

11 San Fernando: The Proposed Solution A septage management program to properly maintain septic tanks Emptying every tank in the city once every five years A sewage treatment system for the city Reduce the cost of desludging by almost 50% by doing it locally Reduce the incidence of illegal septage discharge

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13 San Fernando: Education Plan Workshops Youth Sanitation Symposium at the Provincial Capitol, with representatives from four local universities The City invited the Barangay Councils and Barangay Health Workers of all 59 barangays to orientation meetings, totaling 555 individual attendees. Media Brochures Radio ads Comic strips

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15 San Fernando: Education Execution The messenger USAID found that house-to-house campaigns are the preferred outreach method for receiving information about septic tanks and household sanitation Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) are a trusted source of information The message General information about the city's sewerage and septage management program and how participation in the program helps improve environmental health in the community Proper care and use of septic tanks, including signs that septic tanks should be pumped out How to install proper septic tank cleanouts Information on proper treatment and reuse of greywater to families where problems are evident

16 Eco Tanks are smallscale sewerage treatment systems composed of a disposal tank that receives and purifies wastewater before discharging it into the environment. San Fernando: Eco Tanks

17 San Fernando: Results A fully functioning septage treatment facility Homeowners now pay an annual tax which funds the septic tank pumping program The City has announced improved environmental outcomes

18 San Fernando: What Worked, What Didn t Worked Health worker advocacy Probably the comic strips Did not work Pilot projects with no community input

19 San Fernando: Education Strategy Checklist Explain how the system works. Like, really explain. Engage community leaders Social marketing: Identify key barriers to specific behaviours The problem needs to seem immediate and tangible

20 Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia 45% of the population rely on on-site septic tanks One-third of the on-site septic systems in Nova Scotia are inadequate or degraded and contribute to pollution of ground and surface waters

21 Annapolis Valley: Problems The economic value lost as a result of shellfishery closures (due to contamination) is estimated in the millions of dollars annually in Nova Scotia Beach closures due to high coliform counts Decline in the recreational salmon fishing industry because of the degradation of their traditional spawning areas High percentage of dug wells means high risk of E.coli contamination Re-contamination every time it rains A lot of very old septic systems

22 70.00% % of problematic systems by age 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% Series % 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 5 years 7 years 15 years 20 years 25 years 35 years 45 years 50 years

23 Annapolis Valley: The Proposed Solution Environmental Home Assessment Program (EHAP) Free inspection Province-wide Delivered by local environmental organizations Overcoming financial barriers

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25 Annapolis Valley: Education Plan The messenger: Not the government. Anyone but the government Word of mouth was how news of the program spread The message: Full education on septic system use. E.g. don t do 7 loads of laundry on a single day

26 Annapolis Valley: Education Execution One-on-one meetings with homeowners across the valley Full property tour Address the entire scope of possible septic impacts Economic incentives

27 Annapolis Valley: Hobby Farm Rural hobby farm with an ancient septic system No possibility of throwing money at the problem Children running around and a wetland within 30m Convincing the family to take the problem seriously without causing them to panic

28 Annapolis Valley: Results The EHAP project has been renewed for the 9 th year in a row 10 homeowners received a grant toward a new septic system 138 homeowners received a pumpout voucher The EHAP program showed that regular septic tank pumping becomes routine for homeowners once educated on the importance of proper maintenance of their septic system

29 Annapolis Valley: What Worked, What Didn t Worked Economic incentives Giving the full picture Did not work Stressing the urgency of the problem

30 Annapolis Royal: Education Strategy Checklist Explain how the system works. Like, really explain. Engage community leaders Social marketing: Identify key barriers to specific behaviours The problem needs to seem immediate and tangible

31 Challenges: Rural vs. Urban Rural Distrust of authority Problem immediacy not always obvious System poorly understood Urban Tragedy of the commons Sense that on-site solutions are second-rate System poorly understood

32 The Big Picture Not possible to automate proper on-site wastewater system maintenance Education (and lack thereof) is at the core of many of these technological uptake and environmental problems Taking the time to understand why maintenance is not taking place can go a long way Consider incentives, prompts and social norms

33 Stu Campana Water Team Leader Ecology Ottawa