The cost of onsite wastewater treatment and disposal falls on the system owner in areas where sewers are either unavailable or too expensive. The Onsite Wastewater Management Program (OWMP) endeavours to support and encourage private owners in proper care and maintenance of their treatment and disposal systems in order to ensure a healthy, sustainable region. The Onsite Wastewater Management program provides both educational and regulatory services to the residents who own and operate an onsite wastewater treatment system (septic system).
The program has been providing region-wide (excluding Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Island) educational services since 2000 and regulatory services to View Royal, Colwood, Langford and Saanich since 2007.
The goals of the program include:
- Protect public health and safety
- Reduce the number of malfunctioning systems
- Support septic system owner and operators in the proper maintenance of septic systems
- Protect the environment and water quality