Metro Vancouver’ is holding two online community meetings (same content, one in afternoon, one in evening) on the upgrade to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 12:00 to 2:00 pm
Thursday, May 21, 2020, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
See the agendas and register online here on Metro Vancouver website.
Why is this important? Much of the sewage and wastewater from Vancouver ends up being treated here before being discharged into the Salish Sea. Your voice can help make it better. Read on!
The meetings are for the Project Definition Phase of the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Project.
Learn about the design concepts for the new plant and give feedback on community and park integration, and habitat enhancement and resource recovery opportunities. Each meeting will have the same presentations, with time for questions and discussion.
Here is an excerpt from a notice by the Georgia Straight Alliance.
Share how better wastewater treatment can protect the Salish Sea
An upcoming upgrade to Metro Vancouver’s largest wastewater treatment facility, the Iona Island Plant, is presenting an exceptionally rare opportunity to tackle a significant source of pollution to the Salish Sea. The Iona Plant’s outflow is discharged directly into the Salish Sea at the mouth of the Fraser River. Without advanced tertiary treatment, this effluent carries toxic contaminants and microplastics directly into habitat critical for endangered Southern Resident orcas and wild Pacific salmon. These contaminants are known to disrupt the reproductive and developmental health of these iconic species, and it’s vital that we take quick action to reduce the Iona Plant’s impact on the Salish Sea and its inhabitants.
Join us on May 19 or 21 for a virtual community meeting on the Iona Plant’s upgrade, hosted by Metro Vancouver, and help advocate for the incorporation of tertiary wastewater treatment into the Iona Plant’s new design.
You can also help by spreading the word and extending this invitation to your friends, family and anyone concerned about the health of the Salish Sea.
Not able to attend? Take action now by writing a letter to let the government know why tertiary treatment at the Iona Plant is a key step towards a healthier Salish Sea.
Find more information on why advanced wastewater treatment is so important, or feel free to reach out to GSA’s biodiversity program coordinator at tessa@georgiastrait.org with questions anytime.
MetroVanWatch 