TransAqua, the Greater Moncton Wastewater Commission, issued updates today on a number of issues, including compost toilets for trail users, items not to flush down toilets, and free compost for residents.
Compost toilets open along local river trail
Compost toilets located along either side of the Petitcodiac River adjacent to the walking trail are now open for the season. TransAqua maintains and operates eight toilet facilities located along the trail through Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview.
Residents asked to be careful about what they flush
TransAqua would like to remind the community to think twice about flushing certain items down toilets and into the sewer system. The negative impact some of these items can have on the overall system and operations at the wastewater treatment facility in Riverview can be significant.
For example, non-flushable wet wipes or baby wipes clog wastewater pumping machinery and equipment, as they are not designed to break down in the flushing process, unlike other sanitary products such as toilet tissue. As experienced by TransAqua recently, other items such as pieces of mop heads can also cause issues. One of the main pumps at the Riverview facility recently required a complete tear-down to remove a “mop-berg” (several pieces of mop stuck together). These pumps are critical parts of the wastewater treatment process.
Wastewater organizations globally want to reinforce the “what not to flush” (social media hashtag #whatnottoflush) message and remind people to think about where wastewater ultimately ends up – in the local environment.
Free compost available at Delong Drive facility
TransAqua’s compost season is now in full swing, with several hundred local residents already having collected free compost at the compost site located at 399 Delong Drive, Moncton. Compost can be collected for free, provided residents want to load their trailer or vehicle themselves. Trailers, etc., can be loaded for a small fee, depending on how much of the compost is wanted.
Until June 27, hours of operation for the Delong Drive facility are Monday to Saturday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Sundays and holidays.
Hours from June 28 to October 30 are Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on weekends and holidays. The facility will close for the season on October 30.
About TransAqua
TransAqua, the Greater Moncton Wastewater Commission (www.transaqua.ca) was established in 1983 to support the wastewater collection and treatment needs of the Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview tri-community. Since then, it has developed a 31-kilometre collection network and a treatment facility to best deliver on this mandate. It has also become a leader in the reuse of bio-solids through the generation of type ‘AA’ compost (the highest grade currently achieved in Canada) as opposed to disposal in a landfill site. The organization is now positioning itself to further upgrade its facilities to provide an enhanced secondary treatment approach that will allow it to meet recently introduced mandatory federal regulations prior to the 2020 deadline.
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Media contact:
Winston Pearce
Chair
TransAqua, the Greater Moncton Wastewater Commission
(506) 381-0899