The Septage and Onsite Wastewater Initiatives Strategic Advisory Committee is chaired by the AAMDC and is comprised of stakeholders from AOWMA, Alberta Municipal Affairs, Alberta Transportation and Infrastructure, Alberta Environment, and the AUMA. The group meets regularly to share information on initiatives relating to onsite wastewater and to seek support from the other stakeholders for those initiatives.

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Research) has been in contact with the AOWMA in relation to a project they are currently engaged in regarding onsite wastewater systems. Specifically they are working on a project focusing on small/cluster wastewater treatment systems for rural Alberta. The research will focus on the efficiency of cluster systems as a solution for rural communities, the number of cluster systems currently

Over the past number of months, administration has been meeting with the Land Stewardship Centre collaborating on a homeowner education program on onsite wastewater similar to that of the waterwells program. The Land Stewardship Centre was tasked with the project through a grant from the Alberta Water and Wastewater Association, our colleagues engaged in centralized water and wastewater systems. The initial draft of

The AOWMA represented the membership at the following events in 2013: • AAMDC Trade Show – March 19, 2013. • Clearwater County Homeowner’s Workshop – March 26, 2013. • Alberta Wilbert Sales Annual Pig Roast/Trade Show Edmonton – April 17, 2013. • Alberta Wilbert Sales Annual Pig Roast/Trade Show Calgary – April 24, 2013. • Calgary Real Estate

AOWMA has met with Alberta Environment to revisit the potential for a training program for pumpers. Training of pumpers was a recommendation of the Septage Management Advisory Committee in 2004. The need for training was confirmed in 2006 through the Septage Inventory Research Project. It is hoped that by creating a trained workforce and professionalizing the industry, receiving facility operators will have an increased level

The Standard of Practice Task Group met in December 2013 to continue auditing the 2009 Standard of Practice and discuss potential edits and additions to this living document. The goal is to have the document ready for release in November 2014. The draft will be presented at the annual AOWMA convention in March.

AOWMA has submitted a proposal to Alberta Municipal Affairs to update and enhance the current Onsite Wastewater Practitioner Training Program. When the current training program was developed in 2003, it was designed to train experienced contractors rather than those new to the industry. The demographic seen in the classroom today is significantly different than that seen in the earlier years of training delivery. Because

A total of seven Onsite Wastewater Practitioner Training Program sessions were delivered in 2013. Of those sessions, four were held in Edmonton and three in High River. As well, four soils days were held in St. Paul, High River, Warburg and Lamont. One mound installation was completed in St. Paul. The training schedule for 2014 has been developed and will be published shortly.