2018 Annual Report

City of Chilliwack 37 OBJECTIVE STRATEGY MEASURE PROGRESS Dykes maintained to Provincial standards. All dykes inspected and maintained in 2018 prior to freshet. West Dykes and Vedder Dykes inspected in fall 2018 prior to high winter stream flows. Maximize utilization of existing infrastructure. Development directed to serviced areas. Infill development. Ensure adequate water supply. Amount of water produced meeting daily demand. Demand met. Stage 2 lawn watering restrictions program implemented during summer. Issued 146 rebates under the toilet rebate program. A comprehensive water conservation plan is being designed and implemented. Ensure quality drinking water. Meets drinking water standards. Comprehensive and extensive drinking water quality testing program undertaken in 2018, with 1,750 water samples tested. Full-time drinking water chlorination in operation maintaining a min. 0.2ppm chlorine residual throughout the system. Key maintenance activities such as semi-annual flushing, reservoir cleaning and production well repairs have been conducted. Drinking water quality has been maintained to meet drinking water quality guidelines throughout 2018. Good Stewardship of the Environment Protect the waterways. Effluent meets or exceeds Provincial standards. Continues to meet Provincial standards. Biological Treatment Systems at WWTP continue to improve water quality in 2018. Preliminary design to upgrade the Inlet Works to meet demand and to improve water quality is completed and design-build procurement process to construct work in progress. Completed High Strength Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility at the WWTP to treat high strength wastewater to meet discharge water quality requirements. Enhancement of fish habitat. Undertook several mitigative measures in order to preserve and enhance habitat during the annual open channel drainage maintenance program, with the support and approval of DFO. Collaborated with the Fraser Valley Conservancy and Provincial staff to remove invasive species and replant the banks of Semiault Creek with native vegetation. Worked with DFO and the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition to construct additional spawning and rearing habitat adjacent to the Vedder River in Peach and Salwein Creeks. Organized five salmon habitat enhancement projects in 2018, with volunteers planting hundreds of native trees and shrubs to improve riparian habitat along Stewart Creek, Dunville Creek and the Browne Creek Wetlands Protect water course riparian areas. Consider scientifically determined stream setbacks in all new development applications. Continued to protect riparian areas by maintaining RAR standards and enforcing Development Permit Area #3 rules. Encourage waste diversion. Increase Curbside Program waste diversion rate from 34% in 2014 to 65% by 2018. Curbside waste diversion rate 70% in 2018, exceeding the target. Diversion is achieved through successful recycling and compostables collection programs. Protect the air shed. Work with the Province to assess agricultural air quality impacts. BC Ministry of Environment reviewing Agricultural Waste Control Regulation, with a goal of "enhancing and improving water and air quality by ensuring that good agricultural practices are followed". Proposed changes include emission standards, testing and monitoring requirements for biogas-fueled boilers and heaters, as well as composting and nutrient management requirements to protect air and water quality.