2022 Convention and Trade Show – In-Person or Virtual!

Our annual convention promises to provide interesting and topical speakers, great technical sessions, and informative workshops.  Do not miss your opportunity to listen, learn and network at this exciting event!

Here is a taste of what you can expect:

Keynote Speaker – Wm. Patrick Lucey, B.Sc., B.A. (WD), M.Sc., R.P. Bio., CBiol, MRSB

Mr. Lucey, the president of Aqua-Tex Scientific Consulting Ltd., is a senior aquatic ecologist with a background in freshwater and marine science, urban and resource management and political science. His specialties are managing water resources that add financial value to development projects and demonstrating how regeneration and enhancement of ecological function can provide cost-savings on infrastructure and result in a healthier environment. He has established a personal reputation as a specialist in design and construction of quality rainwater management systems and is respected by both clients and regulators for his ecologically sound, yet innovative approaches to protecting water resources within urban environments. He is a co-author of a report commissioned by the Province of BC, entitled “Living Water Smart: British Columbia’s Water Plan” which formed the basis for the new Water Sustainability Act.

Patrick supervises graduate students at the University of BC, Royal Roads University, University of South Florida, and the University of Victoria where he conducted research in the Department of Biology for two decades. Mr. Lucey was a Special Advisor to the British Columbia Government on Water Policy, the Climate Change Action Plan and Green Cities Initiative programs, as well as the United State’s Federal Government’s Office of Sustainability, in Washington DC. Mr. Lucey is a Member of the British Royal Society of Biology.

---

Kelly Galloway, P.Eng.

Kelly Galloway, P.Eng., is a Civil Engineer with over 25 years experience, 20 years with her own consulting firm, Engineering Technologies Canada Ltd. (ETC). Kelly is the recipient of multiple awards at the provincial and national level for excellence in engineering and sustainable design. She has a reputation as an innovator, who does not hesitate to depart from traditional engineering approaches when there is a better solution.

 

 

---

Sara Heger

University Of Minnesota, Onsite Sewage Treatment Program

Dr. Sara Heger is researcher and instructor at the University of Minnesota in the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program in the Water Resources Center and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Department. For over 20 years, she has been conducting research and providing education and technical assistance to homeowners, small communities, onsite professionals, and local units of government regarding onsite wastewater treatment.  She has presented in over 30 different states and provinces in North America regarding the science of wastewater treatment including design, installation, and management. Sara is the president of the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association.  Sara serves on the NSF International Committee on Wastewater Treatment Systems and chairs Minnesota’s SSTS Advisory Committee.  She has BS in Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering and a MS and a PhD in Water Resource Science.

---

Kent Watson, BSc. MSc.

International Remote Sensing Surveys

Kent Watson obtained his BSc. in Geology from UBC in 1974.  He became a research assistant in the UBC Faculty of Forestry in 1973 and from there completed his MSc. in Agriculture through the Department of Soils Science in 1977.  He specialized in Remote Sensing, Range Ecology and Soil Classification.  He taught at UBC from 1975 – 1979 both as a Teaching Assistant and Sessional instructor in the Faculty of Forestry.  He was hired at Cariboo College in 1986 as a part time instructor and became full time in 1996.  He began teaching soil science in 1994 at what is now Thompson Rivers University.  In 1997 he produced his first manual on describing soils in the field.  This was revised and published as a field guide “Soils Illustrated – Field Descriptions” in 2007 and revised in 2009 and 2014.  He is a member of the Canadian Society of Soil Science and is actively involved with the Pedology Soils Sub Committee.  He has been invited by the CSSS to write a chapter in the upcoming revision of the Canadian System of Soil Classification.  That work, was completed in 2013, will be modeled after his Soils Illustrated field guide.  Kent is a firm believer that field work is essential.  In this regard he has volunteered with other BC soil scientists, in delivering one week long soil field courses to university graduate and undergraduate students and professionals.  He has extensive soil teaching (classroom and field) experience with various organizations and institutions within BC. Kent obtained his HeartMath Certified Trainers certificate in California in 2015. He has delivered training sessions to universities, colleges, first responders and to small groups.

---

Trefor Digby, ROWP MP

Flow Septic Services

Trefor is a ROWP [MP], a Level II municipal wastewater treatment plant operator, and a Level I collection systems operator.

For the past 11 years, Trefor has been the maintenance manager at Onsite Systems Inc. (OSI). This role has consisted of field service work as well as technical support for people who have purchased Orenco Systems products from Onsite Systems across BC.

Trefor is also an EOCP operator and is responsible for operating several systems registered under the Ministry of Environment.

More recently Trefor has moved to the education sector, instructing small classroom courses for local First Nations’ maintenance crews.

---

Bruce McColm

Northwest Waste Water Systems

For the past 30 years Bruce has worked and lived in the Peace River area of North Eastern BC.

He has been in the construction trades for about 50 years. Bruce started out doing carpentry and transitioned into the mechanical trades about 25 years ago. Starting in 1990 he was a contractor setting up remote industrial camps. This work necessitated him to become a B-ticketed gasfitter and a Red Seal plumber.

Bruce became involved in the wastewater industry after BC changed regulations in 2007, essentially, his clients asked him to take on the role of an ROWP. He became an ROWP in 2008 and started Northern Waste Water Systems.

---

Valerie Jenkinson

Operators Without Borders

A recognized leader in her field, Valerie Jenkinson graduated as overall top student from her University of British Columbia class and has twice been nominated as Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

Her company, World Water and Wastewater Solutions LTD. (WWWS) has been active in the water and wastewater industry for the last 12 years and specializes in capacity building.

Valerie is a specialist in Integrated Water Resource (IWRM) and Effective Utility Management (EUM) which is the industry Best Practices developed by the American Waterworks Association (AWWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the Public Works Association (PWA) . Valerie has worked and presented on these subjects globally, including the UK the USA Africa, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia. She has lectured at the University of British Columbia and the BC Institute of Technology.

For the last 12 years Valerie has worked for approximately six months a year in the Caribbean, headquartered in St Lucia. She has worked with all the local Associations and last year was named Focal Point of the Year for Global Water Partners- Caribbean, She is an invited guest annually to the High Level Forum for Caribbean Ministers with responsibility for water, sanitation and waste.

In 2017 Valerie founded Operators Without Borders in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean Region. The organization has evolved into a Registered Canadian Charity has over 60 utility operators who volunteer in assisting utilities affected by disasters to reinstate service to their customers. In addition, the volunteers work in the Caribbean to mentor and train their utility peers.

Valerie is extremely active in the community. She was appointed by the Minister of Health to the Board of the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons, was appointed to the Vancouver Economic Development Council, Chairs the Together We Can Foundation – Together We Can being one of the largest drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation centres in Vancouver. She sat on the Board of Directors for the Virtual School Society of BC, which is responsible to the Ministry of Education for the on-line courses and tutoring programmes for all primary and secondary schools in BC, and taught a community volunteer programme at UBC.

She is the founder and Chair of 100 Women Who Care St Lucia.

---

Greg Solecki

Greg Solecki is one of Canada’s leading experts in disaster and crisis management. He is an internationally Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) and Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) who has been instrumental in the development of international crisis management standards (ISO 22301, ISO 24518, CSA1600), as well as contributing to the development of Canada’s Critical Infrastructure Pandemic Plan as the Water Sector Chair. He has been a guest lecturer at Harvard on crisis management.

With practical experience during SARS, H1N1, H5N1 and President of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Canada, he was sought out as a contributing member for the United Nations office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Global Education & Training Institute (GETI).

Greg is also an experienced facilitator and Incident Command System (ICS) 400 instructor for both ICS Canada and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that has worked with every level of response managing Emergency Operation Centre’s during 6 States of Local Emergency, leading to his attendance at Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI).