The webinar presenters will review the guidelines cover-to-cover, with interesting anecdotes and tips about the "good, bad and ugly" of engineering design practices. The presentation will focus on how to meet the intent of the professional practice guidelines when practising in this area.
Presenters will answer questions about Professional Practice for onsite systems including:
- Purpose of the Practice Guidelines
- Value of the Guidelines for a practicing professional
- Requirements of the Sewerage System Regulation (a summary only)
- The Standard Practice Manual
- Roles that you might take on a project
- Your responsibilities when supervising other professionals or technicians including Registered Practitioners.
- Elements of an “adequate” field review
- The professional’s role in operation and maintenance
- Are you qualified to design an onsite system?
- What is a “professional competent in the area of hydrogeology” in Section 3.1 of the Regulation
- Important sewage source characteristics
- Elements of a complete site evaluation
- Documenting the link between the site conditions and the design
- Documents to file with the health authority
- Other documents required to meet the Guidelines
- Special situations to look out for when planning an onsite system
- Necessary and useful references (regulations, guidelines, manuals)
- Useful checklists
- What to consider when departing from the SPM standards
- Association members who design onsite sewerage systems including engineers, geoscientists, and limited licensees.
- Association members and members-in-training who are considering entering this field of practice.
- This webinar is not intended for regulators (Environmental Health Officers for example) but might still be informative especially regarding what is expected of design professionals.
- The webinar is not intended for engineering and technology students but might be of value for a student who is considering a career in small wastewater systems.
BWD Engineering Inc.
Brent has been active in the onsite wastewater industry throughout all areas of BC since 2005. He has extensive knowledge of provincial and regional regulation and has collaborated as a subject matter expert on many initiatives including Version 3 of the BC Standard Practice Manual. Brent also has a working knowledge of onsite regulations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and several US States.
After 5 years as the Founding President of the Western Canada Onsite Wastewater Management Association of BC (WCOWMA-BC), Brent has participated in technical and regulatory initiatives at all levels of government, universities, and technical committees. He has served on Liquid Waste Management Committees and contributed to ROWP certification training and public education programs.
Payne Engineering Geology Ltd.
Michael is a professional groundwater engineer and hydrogeologist. He is an expert on soil-based treatment of sewage and aquifer protection planning. Michael has evaluated site hydrogeology and completed system designs for 250 wastewater systems and 200 water supply wells.
Michael was co-author of our Association’s Professional Practice Guidelines and a co-author of the BC Standard Practice Manual for onsite sewage systems.
Engineers and Geoscientists BC
Harshan is a professional engineer working in Professional Practice, Standards and Development Department of Engineers and Geoscientists BC. His previous experience includes providing practice advice in the capacity of a Practice Advisor, project managing the development of and revisions to Professional Practice Guidelines, and supporting Government of Alberta in the issuance of environmental approvals for municipal engineering projects.
