There has always been a good reason to criticize the city’s sewer system in recent years, considering the volume of diluted sewage that has spilled into the Ottawa River from aging infrastructure.

But one organization is celebrating the city’s achievements in trying to fix the problem.

The Consulting Engineers of Ontario, during its annual gala last Saturday, recognized a city contractor for the design of the real time control system on the combined sewers.

Here’s the description of the award:

Award of Merit – Environment
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Real Time Control Implementation and Flow Regulator Upgrade Project
Client/Owner: City of Ottawa

Stantec completed the design and integration of a Real Time Control system for the automated operation of Ottawa’s combined sanitary and stormwater system. The system minimizes combined sewer overflows by dynamically adjusting multiple flow regulating chambers and has led to a 60 per cent reduction in overflow volumes to the Ottawa River.

There is still sewage spilling into the river on very rainy days, but it does seem like the number of overflows has decreased. It felt like we were writing about spills every time there was a sprinkle a few years ago.

Another Ottawa project received an award at the gala, too. The association’s PR firm says the Museum of Nature’s Victoria Memorial Museum Building was saved from sinking, thanks to Halsall Associates.”The firm also built a new glass tower that gave the heritage building new life. The Queen’s Lantern, the glass tower that reproduces the majesty the building lost when its front tower had to be demolished. Halsall was given an award of engineering excellence for the rehabilitation of the Victoria Memorial Museum Building.”

Above: Municipal, provincial and federal politicians announce the operation of the Keefer St. regulator July 22, 2010. Photo by the Sun’s Darren Brown.

A new City Hall gizmo caught my eye today.

It’s located in the washroom area beside council chambers.

Now, before you say, “Yes, Willing, that’s a water fountain,” it’s actually the top part that interested me. I have never seen an advocacy water fountain before that counts how many bottles of water we’re saving by using it.

The attachment seems to cost somewhere in the $600-700 range. It’s the only one I’ve seen around City Hall dispensing perfect municipal drinking water. Anyone else run into an advocacy water fountain in Ottawa?

Ecology Ottawa has published its annual council gradings based on enviro-related votes.

“Overall this council seems like a team with the potential to implement an environmental agenda but who needs to be reminded that cities that invest in public transportation and smart land use planning and that reduce waste, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions will be the true leaders – economically, socially and environmentally – in the coming decades,” Ecology Ottawa concludes.

The grades are posted on Ecology Ottawa’s website.

One thing I notice is the group uses the u-pass vote as a grading point. Council members received positive grades if they voted in favour of keeping the u-pass at $145 per semester for the current school year.

I wonder if this means the mayor and councillors are facing certain blemishes on next year’s report card if they vote in favour of increasing the u-pass to $180 per semester. That’s the suggestion in the draft 2012 OC Transpo budget. Or, will Ecology Ottawa next year take into account the cost of providing the u-pass to students?