Towns of Appleton and Glenwood Recognized with Watershed Award

I rise in this Honourable House today to recognize the towns of Appleton and Glenwood for receiving a regional watershed award. The award, announced by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, recognized Canadian municipalities that have taken proactive measures to reduce their vulnerability to storm and wastewater damage.

The awards were part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Community Awards, and were presented at the federation's annual conference and municipal expo in Toronto on May 29. Regional awards were presented to five regions — the towns of Appleton and Glenwood received the award for the Atlantic Region.

Appleton and Glenwood were recognized for their Abydoz sewer treatment system — a plant-based sewage treatment process which is shared between the towns. The Abydoz system is an innovative, low-maintenance system that does not use any mechanical systems. Treatment relies on the roots of plants to do the work, and the system is a natural, environmentally-sound solution for sewage treatment. This community-based solution provides good levels of treatment in a reliable, cost-effective manner. The project was a cost-shared initiative between the provincial and federal governments, and the participating towns.

This project was also recognized by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador at their annual conference on May 15.

Town officials should be commended for their efforts to work together in support of this technology and their proactive measures to reduce wastewater damage in their communities. I ask my honourable colleagues to join me in congratulating the towns of Appleton and Glenwood for their recognition.

2010 06 07                     1:50 p.m.