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In this issue:

AB SOP Training Update
BC Convention and Trade Show Information
BC AGM Notice
COVID Rapid Test Information
Submit Your Article or Ad for Publication
Virtual Membership Packages
Upcoming Training Events
Events Calendar
...and more!

Annual WCOWMA-BC Convention and Trade Show

The WCOWMA-BC Board of Directors invites you to join us as we ask the
question: Why Waste Water?

Those working in the onsite wastewater industry are recyclers of water. The acts of collecting, treating and dispersing wastewater back into the environment are extremely important both from an environmental and a fiscal standpoint. We invite you to join us as we continue to hone our skills and understanding of wastewater system planning, installing, maintaining and inspecting.

Two Ways to Attend-In-Person or Virtually!

The 2022 Convention and Trade Show is being delivered in a hybrid format.
The Convention begins on the morning of March 3, with a full day of educational presentations. Those attending in-person can join in with their fellow delegates. Choosing to participate virtually? Log-in and participate in the presentations and discussion.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Opening Remarks
Keynote – How Did We Get Here . . .Where to From Here?
Tips and Tricks for Cold Weather Installation
The Canadian System of Soil Classification and Horizon Definitions
Determining Restricting and Limiting Conditions in Soils
Using OneNote to Keep Notes Organized and Collaborate With Your Team
Update on Disaster Relief – Restoring and Providing Wastewater Infrastructure
Using Drones in the Site Evaluation Process
WCOWMA-BC Introducing Proposed New Membership Initiatives
Professional Governance Act Explained

Friday, March 4, 2022 – Trade Show Day

Trade Show Hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – In Person
Virtual Booths are open 24 hours/day

Presentations:

How to Assess and Rehabilitate Flooded Onsite Systems
MBBR Systems
Build Your Own Website – Seats limited – pre-register please
CEC: Sources and Treatment in Septic Systems
Pump Tech – Pump Talk
How to Build Custom Forms and Templates – Seats limited – pre-register please
The Eljen System
Liberty Pumps – Sewage and Effluent Pumps
System O – Advanced Treatment Solutions
Annual General Meeting
Happy Hour
Banquet and Entertainment

March 5, 2022

Managing and Rehabilitating the Flooding in the Merritt Area
Overview of Control Panels
System Maintenance – Electronics, Panels, and Other Considerations
Planners & Installers – What are their responsibilities to each other?
Feedback from the Field – Subdivisions Gone Wrong
Onsite Wastewater Recycling Ideas from the Driest Inhabited Continent on Earth
Use of Constant Head Well Permeameters to Determine Soil Kfs and its Relationship to Percolation Time
Ask Me Anything – Panel Wrap Up

Trade Show Information

The Trade Show portion of our event will take place on Friday, March 4th, during which our exhibitors and suppliers will provide technical sessions on their products and technologies. Visit the booths, talk to the vendors and attend their presentations to learn about products and technologies available to you. Each vendor will be provided with an in-person booth and a virtual booth. The virtual booths will be available for 24 hours/day throughout the event.

Remember: the trade show is always free, but you do have to register.

Book a Booth

24th Annual AOWMA Convention and Trade Show

The 24^th Annual AOWMA Convention and Trade Show wrapped up on February 17 following a successful three days of education, training, and networking.

An engaging line of presenters brought forward topics related to soil analysis, system troubleshooting, installation practices, applying the Standard of Practice and many more. Participants had an opportunity to engage with presenters during live question and answer periods and at the end of each day in the open forum.

Delegates were also able to engage through the Scavenger Hunt and the Social Wall which led to some entertaining photos and good advice and information.

Scavenger Hunt and Door Prize winners were posted to the AOWMA Facebook page. Check the page to see if your name is there! Prizes will be mailed out to the winners.

Thanks to Pembina Concrete Products for donating great door prizes for our draws!

Did you miss something? Recorded presentations are available for a full year after convention. Sign on to the virtual platform to watch any you might have missed or to rewatch one that you want to see again.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Notice of 2022 WCOWMA-BC AGM

Friday, March 4 @ 5:30pm
Clarion Hotel, 36035 North Parallel Road, Abbotsford, BC V3G 2C6

All WCOWMA-BC members in good standing are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting being held during the Convention and Trade Show on March 4, 2022 in Abbotsford, BC.

NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

Vice-President
Secretary-Treasurer
Directors (2)

NOMINATIONS PROCESS: Nominations may be submitted in advance of the AGM or from the floor during the election portion of the meeting. According to Bylaw Section 6.g, all nominees must be Corporate Members in good standing. A member whose membership fees are due and unpaid or otherwise owes money to the Association is not in good standing.

TERM OF OFFICE: Those elected to the Board of Directors at the 2022 AGM will hold those positions for two years; term of office to complete in 2024.

REQUIREMENTS OF A BOARD MEMBER: Generally, the Board operates as a governance entity, meaning that it sets high level strategic direction as opposed to having a direct hand in the day-to-day activities of the operation. Directors may also be asked to sit on various committees to provide more direct guidance regarding key association strategic objectives. Board Members are not paid, however, reasonable expenses are reimbursed for travel and meals when attending Board meetings or other sanctioned association business. The Board of Directors meets every eight weeks via video conference/conference call, as well as a minimum of twice annually face-to-face.

Announcing the 2022 AOWMA Board of Directors

A new AOWMA Board of Directors was elected at the Annual General Meeting on February 17, 2022.

The 2022 Board Of Directors

Clayton Foster – President
Ed Lemke – Vice-President
Nicole Paggett – Secretary/Treasurer
Rick Baxter – Director
Jim Wigmore – Director
Arnold Groot – Director
Michael Schmalz – Director
Tim Ierullo – Director
Shaunna Stevenett – Director

Welcome to new Board members Michael Schmalz and Tim Ierullo.

The AOWMA Board of Directors would like to thank departing members David Dallaire and Jim Screpnek for their invaluable contributions to the Board and membership.

Virtual Membership Package

In your membership packages this year, you’ll receive all the same great benefits as last year, but less paper. This year we have created a collection of all the information that is usually printed and sent in your membership package and made it available to you on-line! You can access the information anytime you need it. Perkopolis, Staples, Insurance Information, it will all be there. Of course, you’ll still receive the special things like your certificate, decals, membership cards, Mark’s Work Wearhouse discount card and your complementary Homeowners Manual.

Less paper to recycle and more information at your fingertips!

Accepting Articles and Ads for the Summer 2022 Onsite Informer

Did you know that there are plenty of opportunities to support your industry organization and promote your business? One such way is the Onsite Informer.

The association is sourcing articles for publication in our WCOWMA printed magazine, which includes information, news and events from each Western province.

Articles submitted may be on any topic relevant to our membership and stakeholder group, such as those related to wastewater, septage and the onsite wastewater industry. We can accommodate a wide range of article lengths from 200 to 500 words to 800 to 1,500 words for the magazine. The article should be research or case study based. Relevant pictures are welcome; a photo release may be required. Promotional articles or those that are heavily proprietorial are considered advertorial and are subject to advertising rates. These will be identified in the publications as advertorials.

WCOWMA's Onsite Informer magazine is widely distributed to our member installers, septage haulers, suppliers and other industry stakeholders. It is also sent to municipalities and provincial government departments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Current distribution is over 5000 copies.

If you have any questions, or you'd like to contribute an article to the Summer issue, please contact Kelly for more information.

Media packages can be downloaded here.

DEADLINE: Please submit your ad and form by March 31st, 2022.

Saskatchewan Education Day and Annual General Meeting

Saskatchewan will be holding a virtual education day on April 14, 2022. The Association Annual General Meeting will be held at the same time. Attendees will participate in presentations from industry stakeholders to prepare them for the upcoming installation season.

Registration will open soon - Save the Date!

Manitoba Education Day and Annual General Meeting

Manitoba will host an in-person Education Day and Annual General Meeting in mid-April. Details will be sent out to the membership in the next couple of weeks when registration opens. Updates on Association activities such as curriculum development will be provided as will information on regulatory changes that are in the works.

Members who have specific topic requests should email Rudy at admin@mowma.org.

COVID-19 Rapid Testing and Screening in Workplaces

The Government of Canada, some provincial/territorial governments and distribution partners are providing free rapid COVID-19 tests to organizations. These tests are to be used for regular workplace screening of employees.

Businesses and not-for-profit organizations are eligible to apply.

Please see their website for more information.

Join the WCOWMA Facebook Group

We've expanded beyond pages! Come join the group, chat with other people in the industry, and stay up-to-date with WCOWMA news.

Death By Pipe: Birds In Crisis

Significant danger to wildlife is posed by open 4” vertical PVC or Big-O pipes, and open valve boxes.

Open or uncapped vertical pipes spread on the landscape for many utilitarian purposes pose a very real hazard to wildlife, especially birds.

Learn more.

AB SOP Update Registration is Open!

Opportunities are now available to participate in the Standard of Practice Update Training. This two-day training is now required for those wishing to maintain their Certificate of Competency in Private Sewage (PSDS ticket).

Multiple dates are available for virtual training.

Sign up online.

***In person classes will be available when public health restrictions are relaxed.

Alberta Standard of Practice Manuals

Print copies of the new Standard of practice manuals are available through the AOWMA storefront.

Students who order the SOP training and the SOP manual at the same time can save on shipping.

Digital copies can be downloaded from the Safety Codes Council.

Onsite Wastewater Practitioner Training

The Western Canada Onsite Wastewater Management Association provides an excellent industry training program for Onsite Wastewater Professionals throughout Western Canada.

This training program has been found to meet or exceed the requirements of the Agreement on Internal Trade, the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement, and the New West Partnership.

Training, including the number of days, varies by province. More details on each program can be found on the provincial training pages, or by contacting our office.

Students will be required to complete an online training component prior to attending the classroom sessions.

Courtenay, BC
OR
Virtual Classroom via Zoom
Days 1-5: April 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8, 2022
Days 6-9: April 19, 20, 21, & 22, 2022

Download a registration form, register online, or contact the association office at 1-855-872-2645 for more information.

Dates to be Announced

Ccontact the association office at 855-872-2650 for more information.

Dates to be Announced

Contact the association office at 877-489-7471 for more information.

Manitoba students are being directed to Alberta or Saskatchewan for participation in their training programs at this time.

Contact the association office at 855-872-2659 for more information.

AB Septic Sense Workshop

Rural property owners are responsible for ensuring their systems operate properly and safely. If you have a septic system on your rural property, you will benefit from attending this virtual workshop.

This workshop is free and includes a homeowner information package. Workshop participants may pick up a package at their participating county office prior to or after the presentation.

M.D. of Bighorn
March 10, 2022 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Tess Krause
403-673-6311, ext. 241

Rocky View County
March 24, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ashley Stewart
403-520-1272

Provincial/Federal Job Grants Continue to be Available for Training

The Provincial associations have all been receiving training applicants who are being funded by the various federal/provincial job grants that are currently available.

Funding varies between the provinces, but can be upwards of $10,000 per applicant. Employers may have to pay a portion of the tuition and training must involve more than 24 hours of contact/study.

For more information on the job grants in your province, click on the appropriate link below:

Alberta
https://www.alberta.ca/canada-alberta-job-grant.aspx

British Columbia
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/funding-and-grants/bc-employer-training-grant

Manitoba
https://www.gov.mb.ca/wd/ites/is/pubs/cjg_employer_factsheet.pdf

Saskatchewan
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/hire-train-and-manage-employees/apply-for-the-canada-saskatchewan-job-grant

Upcoming Industry Events

You can keep up-to-date on industry events on our events pages:

Alberta
British Columbia
Saskatchewan
Manitoba

WCOWMA-BC Convention & Trade Show
March 3—5, 2022

WCOWMA-BC AGM
Abbotsford, BC
March 4, 2022

World Water Day
March 22, 2022
Online

SOWMA Education Day
April 14, 2022

BCWWA'S 50th Annual Conference & Trade Show
May 15 - 17, 2022
Victoria, BC

3 Quick Computer Tips

Tricks for Typing

1) Delete an entire word by pressing CTRL+Backspace.

2) Make superscript and sub text by pressing CTRL + = for sub, and CTRL+ Shift for superscript.

3) Paste in plain text and not what was originally formatted, after copying, by pressing CTRL + Shift + V.

Inspirational Message

Spread love wherever you go.
Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
- Mother Teresa

Daylight Savings

It's that time again. Daylight saving time will start on March 13.
Don't forget to adjust those clocks!

Find us on Facebook

Stay up-to-date on industry news, learn about our latest training sessions, and check out photos of some of our events all on our Facebook pages!

AOWMA Facebook page
WCOWMA-BC Facebook page
SOWMA Facebook page
MOWMA Facebook page
WCOWMA Facebook page