Newsletter - February 2000
Reducing the cost of tender documents
The cost of purchasing a set of documents for municipal projects is often very expensive ($200-$300 range). Most of these costs are non-refundable. We know that the municipalities are just looking to recover the printing costs, which are in fact high.
Such costs may be fine for larger firms which utilize most of the drawings and specification sections. However, for smaller trades and equipment suppliers, such costs are difficult to swallow if only one or two specification sections apply to them.
I believe that today's technology can come to our rescue. I suggest that municipalities and consultants publish their specs on CD-ROM format. The cost of burning a CD-ROM is very small, and this would be a way to make these documents accessible to smaller trades and suppliers for a nominal cost. Courier costs would be much lower too.
If CD-ROM is too sophisticated, perhaps a set of reduced scale drawings on 11 x 17 inch format paper would also be adequate for many small firms, and much less expensive to print.
Michael Albanese, Past-President, OPCEA
Water Environment Federation Distinguished Honors and Awards
Below are key WEF awards. If you are interested in getting complete details, please call the Federation Awards department at: (703) 684-2477.
Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership is extended to persons who have proven their preeminence in the fields of activity encompassed by Federation objectives.
Charles Alvin Emerson Medal
This award is presented annually to the individual whose contributions to the wastewater collection and treatment industry most deserves recognition.
Harry E. Schlenz Medal
Recognizes the achievements of an individual who takes up the banner of water environment public education and presents it to the public in a productive process.
Outstanding Achievement in Water Quality Improvement Award
The Outstanding Achievement in Water Quality Improvement Award is presented annually to the water quality improvement program that best demonstrates significant, lasting, and measurable excellence in water quality improvement or in prevention of water quality degradation in a region, basin, or water body.
Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award
The Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award is presented to a corporation and, if applicable, to its engineering firm that best demonstrates significant, lasting, and measurable excellence in water quality improvement or in the prevention of water quality degradation.
George J. Schroepfer Medal
Recognizes excellence in conceiving and directing the design of a project to achieve substantial cost savings or economic benefit over other alternatives, while achieving environmental objectives.
Public Education Award
The Public Education Award recognizes Federation members for significant accomplishments in promoting awareness and understanding of water environment issues among the general public, through the development and implementation of public education programs.
George Bradley Gascoigne Medal
This medal is awarded to the author(s) of an article which presents the solution of an important and complicated operational problem within a full-scale, operating wastewater treatment plant which is appropriately staffed.
Willem Rudolfs Medal
The medal is awarded to an industrial employee for noteworthy accomplishments in any aspect of industrial waste control.
Jack Edward McKee Medal
This award is established to honor professional achievement in groundwater protection, restoration, or sustainable use.
Philip F. Morgan Medal
The medal recognizes valuable contributions to the in-plant study and solution of an operational problem.
Thomas R. Camp Medal
The medal is awarded to a member who demonstrates a unique application of basic research or fundamental principles through the design or development of a wastewater collection or treatment system.
Collection System Award
The Collection System Award is presented to an individual for contributions to the advancement of the state-of-the-art of wastewater collection.
Innovative Technology Awards
These awards are presented annually to Associate Members who have introduced new innovative products or services related to the construction, operation, or maintenance of water pollution control facilities.
Canham Graduate Studies Scholarship
These scholarships provide funds for post-baccalaureate students in the water environment field.
Quarter Century Operators' Club
The Quarter Century Operators' Club is a group of members of any Member Association or a Professional Wastewater Operations member of the Federation.
William D. Hatfield Award
The William D. Hatfield Award is presented to operators of wastewater treatment plants for outstanding performance and professionalism.
Arthur Sidney Bedell Award
The Arthur Sidney Bedell Award was established to acknowledge extraordinary personal service to a Member Association.
Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award
This award was established by the Board of Directors in 1993 to recognize individuals for outstanding performance, professionalism and contributions to the water quality analysis profession.
George W. Burke, Jr. Award
The purpose of this award is to encourage an active and effective safety program in municipal and industrial wastewater facilities.
Water levels in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence basin are changing
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| Low Great Lakes water level, Spring 1999. Photo - Steve Davey |
The last year of the twentieth century will be remembered by many who live, work and play in the Great Lakes basin as the year of very low water levels. Water levels have been above average during the last 30 years, but since the Fall of 1998, Great Lakes basin levels have dropped significantly.
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence basin is home for more than 42.5 million people. Eight million of these are Canadians who depend on the lakes for drinking water. This huge Great Lakes basin extends over 1,183,324 km2.
Although water levels in the Spring of 1999 were also below average, they were not as low as they were in the mid-1960s, the mid-1930s, and 1926. Recent low levels may be more noticeable because water levels were unusually high in 1985 to 1987, and people can easily remember that period. Previous high water years were 1972/1973, and 1952.
Fluctuation in water levels has numerous causes, but as a rule of thumb, if we have a dry winter without much snow, water levels will be lower. If there is a lot of snow, the spring runoff will increase water levels. Higher or lower than average rainfall during the summer will affect the levels of the Great Lakes. Other factors affecting water levels include urbanization and deforestation that speed up the cycle of water runoff from precipitation, and water evaporation caused by the greenhouse effect.
Reports on Environment Canada's 'Green Lane' web site note that: "According to researchers, the average temperature in the Great Lakes basin could rise by 4.5°C by 2055, with slightly larger increases in winter than summer. Higher rates of evaporation and drier soils would reduce runoff, and water levels in the Great Lakes could fall by an average of between 0.5 and 1.0 metres, according to typical scenarios".
This temperature increase and lower water level would have remarkable effects on the socio-economic structure of the basin, and on the biophysical characteristics of the lakes and St. Lawrence River.
The St. Lawrence outflow could be reduced by 20 percent. The low outflow would limit the amount of cargo that ships could carry per trip, but a shorter ice season (by five to twelve weeks) might provide for a longer shipping season, allowing more trips per year.
The largest single user of Great Lakes water is the electric power industry. Lower water levels would decrease the flow available for the generation of hydroelectric power.
Agriculture is the largest industry in the region, and forestry is a major one in the northern parts of the basin. Although the growing season would be longer, the reduction in soil moisture would be likely to decrease crop yields over time unless adaptive measures are taken.
Higher temperatures and drier soils could also reduce the extent of the health of forests, and the drying of marshes would cut back on wildlife habitat. Some of the present fish species could disappear from the lakes due to warmer temperatures, while other species could migrate northward from the southern parts of the region.
Other industries that would be significantly impacted include primary metals, chemicals and food processing.
All forms of water-based recreational activities would be affected, including boating, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowmobiling and snowboarding.
The Green Lane site notes that water quality might be affected in the following ways:
- the dredging needed to offset lower water levels could resuspend toxic chemicals;
- higher water temperatures could decrease dissolved oxygen levels and increase growth of algae and bacteria;
- less runoff and stream discharge would reduce the flushing out of bays and dilution of organic matter and chemicals;
- lower water levels could cause the disappearance of wetlands, which are valuable habitats;
- agricultural and urban expansion would continue to contaminate runoff with fertilizers and toxic chemicals.
There is a Canadian federal strategy in place to deal with the issues surrounding fluctuating and falling water levels.
The Boundary Waters Treaty (1909) provides mechanisms to help prevent and resolve disputes, primarily concerning water quantity and quality along the Canada-US boundary. The International Joint Commission (IJC) was established under the Treaty, and Parliament passed the International Boundary Waters Treaty Act (IBWTA) in 1911 to implement the Treaty. The management of the water levels of the Great Lakes basin is undertaken by the IJC.
Amendments to the IBWTA give the Minister of Foreign Affairs authority over projects that have the potential of affecting levels and flows of boundary waters (specifically the Great Lakes). The IJC will release a final report to the US and Canadian governments this year regarding consumptive uses, discussions, and bulk removals, including for export, from the Great Lakes.
Grant Lee, MCIP, RPP
Sources
Environment Canada - "Green Lane" web site: www.ec.gc.ca; Canadian Centre for Inland Waters website: www.cciw.ca; Water, Water Everywhere....Or is There? by James R. Hay in Today's Boating, Vol. 4, No. 5, Fall 1999.