Waterloo Region's newsletter about
waste, water and the environment
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Region is working now to meet 2030 climate goals |
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Climate change is a global problem with local causes and local solutions. The detailed pathways to a decarbonized future are still being developed, but the Region of Waterloo is acting now to help our community thrive in a low-carbon world.
Our community’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50% by the year 2030. The key? Switching to carbon-free vehicles and active transportation, building net-zero new buildings and switching existing buildings off natural gas for heat and water heating.
Action is needed now if we want to achieve that 2030 goal. The Region of Waterloo is leading the way by taking steps to decarbonize our buildings and vehicles across the many services we provide. Regional Council will endorse a full corporate climate and energy strategy later in 2023. But we are also acting now on time-sensitive work:
- Making at least half of municipal vehicles zero-emission by 2030
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- Piloting zero emissions vehicles for GRT
- Upgrading buildings to reduce heat loss and fossil fuel use
- Decarbonizing waste collection and increasing compost/organics diversion
- Stopping biosolids from wastewater being landfilled
- Making sure infrastructure is ready for a changing climate
- Continuing work from home and flexible schedules to reduce worker commutes
- Providing low GHG food options (eg. plant-based or local)
Other organizations and people across the Region will need to take similar actions to help our community cut carbon 50% by 2030.
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GRT adds new hybrid and lower-emission buses |
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Diesel GRT buses account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions from the Region of Waterloo’s vehicles and buildings. That means we can play a big part in lowering those greenhouse gas emissions by switching our fleet from fossil fuels to hybrid and electric buses.
In 2020, we committed to ending purchases of diesel-only buses. As our fleet ages and buses are retired, diesel buses will be replaced by electric and hybrid buses.
This spring we added four new hybrid buses and four new lower-emission mid-sized buses (9 metres long vs 12 metres long) to our fleet.
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Pictured above is one of the new hybrid buses.
The next step will be adding our first fully-electric buses as part of a two-year pilot program to figure out the best way to add electric vehicles to our fleet.
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Water wisely. Do you know your watering day? |
Hot weather has arrived! Should you water the grass? Before you grab that hose, refresh yourself on the Region of Waterloo’s Conservation By-law.
Every year, the by-law’s watering rules are in effect May 31 to Sept. 30. Everyone gets one day per week to water lawns. They can water gardens or wash the car with a hose every other day. Your watering day is based on the last digit of your property address. And there are watering hours too: morning (5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.) or evening (7 p.m. to 11 p.m.).
Click here to learn more and find your watering days.
Did you know? Before the by-law, outdoor watering in the summer could spike the Region’s water demand up by 50 per cent. These rules help lower daily water use and spread out high demand to avoid straining the groundwater supply and our water distribution system.
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Plastic bag recycling.. recycle ONLY these plastic bags |
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Plastic bags look the same but are manufactured differently. Some bags are made with one single type of plastic (recyclable), while other bags are made with layers of different plastics (not recyclable). Knowing which bag to recycle is confusing, even for us! |
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To make sorting easy, here is a specific list of which plastic bags can be recycled. Recycle ONLY these plastic bags.
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Packaging changes, but can it be recycled? Read about trends in packaging and the impact on recycling in this special issue of the Waste eNewsletter.
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How to get the most into your blue box and green bin |
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Here’s the truth: most household waste is not garbage. Most could be reused and recycled, if sorted into the blue box and green bin.
A lot of people rely on their memory for what can be recycled. Since product packaging often changes, this can be inaccurate. When was the last time you checked?
Use the Waste Whiz search tool to check how to sort an item. It is quick and easy. Download the app to your cell or use it on our website. |
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Cleaner air and cleaner water from Region’s new tech |
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Waterloo Region is embracing innovative new technology to clean our wastewater and save money and energy in the process.
“Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor,” or MABR, is now part of Cambridge’s Hespeler Wastewater Treatment Plant, making Waterloo Region the first municipality in Canada to use this technology.
The Region has 13 treatment plants to clean wastewater flushed down our drains and toilets, then release it safely into local rivers. Part of the treatment uses bacteria to remove nutrients such as carbon, phosphorus and ammonia. This good bacteria needs lots of oxygen, historically delivered with an energy-intensive process that blows bubbles through large tanks.
The new biofilm is four times more efficient. Thousands of tiny fibres deliver just the right of oxygen right to the bacteria.
“It’s a cutting-edge technology achieving great efficiencies,” says Dominika Celmer-Repin, a senior engineer for the Region’s Water Services.
The upgrade means 40 per cent less electricity needed, saving $30,000 to $40,000 per year. There’s a similar reduction in the plant’s greenhouse gas emissions.
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The smaller MABR tanks are also 35 per cent cheaper to build than bigger conventional tanks, saving the Region approximately $5 million. That helps our facilities handle more wastewater in the future, as the Region’s population grows.
The new technology starts operating this summer.
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Three tips to start biking to work, from a veteran rider |
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Grand River Transit marked Bike to Work Day on May 20, and there’s no better person to feature than bus operator Paul Wagler. |
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He’s been riding to his job as a GRT operator every day – rain, shine or snow – for 15 years. He pedals 75 km to and from work every week, and rides between 5,000 and 6,000 km per year.
He offered up some tips for anyone looking to start biking work:
1. If you can’t ride all the way to work, start with shorter rides and build up to it
2. Plan your route before you go and look for options other than busy roads
3. Check the forecast and dress appropriately. “I always say every day is a good day to ride a bike; some days are just better than others!”
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Teaching our community's future water protectors |
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Nearly 10,000 students got a fun, hands-on lesson on the value of water during the 2022 Waterloo Wellington Children’s Groundwater Festival.
Students and educators gathered on Youtube over four days in May.
The virtual festival featured songs, video tours, and interactive activities.
If you missed it and would like to watch now or share the Festival with a young person in your life, click on the links below:
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The Waterloo Wellington Children’s Groundwater Festival began in 1996, and is expected to return in-person at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum for 2023.
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Let it pour! Region's rain barrel sale returns |
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After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Region of Waterloo’s rain barrel sale returned this spring. The 200-litre barrels were very popular as customers quickly snapped up over 2,300 barrels that were available. |
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The 2022 sale looked a little different than past years. Instead of long lineups, customers ordered online and picked up later at Fairview Park Mall. One person even picked up two rain barrels on his bike!
A rain barrel helps you save water by harvesting rain to use for lawns, gardens or outdoor washing. It can also help reduce flooding during storms by catching part of the downpour.
DYK? If you live in Kitchener or Waterloo, a rain barrel can qualify you for a credit on the stormwater portion of your water bill. Visit the City of Kitchener or the City of Waterloo webpages for details.
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Residential compost giveaway – temporarily out of stock |
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We have had such a high interest from residents for the free compost at our waste sites that we have temporarily run out of compost and mulch. But don’t worry, more should be ready in early July.
This compost is made from your yard waste. Watch this brief video to learn more about how composting of yard waste and green bin is done. |
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Water conservation savings earn accolades from Region |
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Piller’s Fine Foods is the winner of the latest Water Efficiency Excellence Award.
Regional Chair Karen Redman presented the award at Piller’s Waterloo facility this spring. The company upgraded a large, older boiler with a much more efficient model. The new equipment will save 72,600 litres of water per day. That’s equivalent to the water used by 164 households of three people.
The water-saving project was funded through the Region’s WET (Water Efficient Technology) Program. This program helps businesses and organizations improve their water efficiency. It’s a win-win for the company, which saves money, and for our community, which needs to manage our water supply wisely as Waterloo Region grows. Each year, the most impressive projects also receive a Water Efficiency Excellence Award.
Water efficiency projects often pay for themselves over time. But it takes leadership and commitment to make the initial investment. Is your workplace interested in being a good water steward? Learn how we can help.
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