The presentation discusses how policy is important for engineering projects related to sanitary services. It outlines a study conducted by the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) to address issues with private sanitary systems. The study included a regulatory gap analysis and the development of a policy structure with 44 policies. The policies aim to align with regulations and achieve long-term goals like public ownership of new sanitary systems. Risk analysis and visuals were used to explain impacts and justify projects. Developing policy provides direction, support from decision-makers, and more certainty for budgets to fund infrastructure upgrades and management plans.

1. Fraser Valley Regional District
Sanitary Services – From Policies to
Capital Projects
Presentation at BCWWA Annual Conference: Whistler
May 2014

2. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
The Team
Ehren Lee, P.Eng
Water Consultant
Urban Systems
Tareq Islam, P.Eng
Director of Community Services
FVRD

3. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
Key Message
Your most important engineering
challenges need policy.

4. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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.

5. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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

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Study Background

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Decision 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.”

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Decision makers approve your
projects.

9. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
Decision makers approve your
projects.

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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

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Policy Structure

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Regional Management Plans - Summary

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What’s important about policy?
• Decision makers approve your projects.

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What’s important about policy?
• Decision makers approve your projects.
• Align with the rules and big-picture goals for long-
term buy in.

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Vision
The 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.

16. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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?

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Full Regulatory Gap Analysis

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Full Regulatory Gap Analysis
• What is a gap?
▫ “The difference between where you currently are and where you
want to be”.

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Policy Structure
• Align policies to gaps
▫ Service delivery – community systems
▫ Cost recovery
▫ On-site individual systems
▫ Priority setting framework
▫ System acquisition

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Policy Structure

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What’s important about policy?
• Decision makers approve your projects.
• Align with the rules and big-picture goals for long-
term buy in.

22. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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.

23. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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

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

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Risk and Policy
• Use visual analysis. A lot.
▫ This is what’s at stake

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Risk and Policy
• Use visual analysis. A lot.
▫ This is how we’ll create order – achieve our vision.

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Risk and Policy
• Use visual analysis. A lot.

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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

29. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
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.

30. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
Key Message
Your most important engineering
challenges need policy.

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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

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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

33. REGIONAL WATER SERVICE DELIVERY
Thank you!
Questions?
Ehren Lee, P.Eng
Water Consultant
Urban Systems
Tareq Islam, P.Eng
Director of Community Services
FVRD