Maintaining a Cleaner, Greener Environment

Go-Green Wastewater’s filtration system is an efficient and cost-effective means of disposing grey and black water for property owners along BC’s shores.

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Words by Steve Fennell

From available resources through Environment Canada to Georgia Strait Alliance’s Clean Marine BC Green Boating Program, preserving the waterways throughout British Columbia is an ongoing, successful effort. As a result, owners of marinas, remote commercial properties, and private landowners located along waterfronts are becoming even more environmentally responsible. 

Among many environmental initiatives, proper treatment and disposal of wastewater (black and grey) is now more cost-effective and efficient to further protect our rivers, lakes, and oceans.  

“People are more environmentally friendly and aware about adapting new processes to better treat grey and blackwater for their properties than they were 25 years ago,” says Erling Kjerside, Senior Consultant at Go Green Wastewater Ltd. “They realize they can clean up and maintain the waterways in their area a lot more efficiently.”

Since its inception in the mid-1990s, the Coquitlam, BC-based company has evolved from providing wastewater filtration solutions for residential subdivisions and resorts to offering a variety of compact polyethylene floating treatment tanks for marinas, float homes, floating resorts, floating fisheries and lodging camps in BC. Systems are also available for privately-owned boat houses or structures that serve as a dwelling and require proper wastewater disposal. 

Eight treatment systems are available to accommodate several locations and person capacities. They range in size from 1818 L  (400 Gal), which can serve 1-3 people, to 6,624L (1,750 gal) for 14 people (daily use). They are also compact and can be installed either in a concrete float or discreetly beneath and beside a building, depending on the structure and application.   

Recognized by Environment Canada, the tanks are self-contained and when grey or black water enters the system, it’s filtered through three individual chambers including the septic, aeration and clarifier, transforming it into clean water before entering directly back into the lake, river or ocean. Any solids will remain in the first chamber of the treatment tank.

Several marinas throughout the province have installed Go-Green Wastewater systems on their properties. These include the Union Steamship Co. Marine Resort on Bowen Island in Howe Sound and Mosquito Creek in North Vancouver for staff and their float-home communities. Mosquito Creek currently has 18 systems installed with another dozen scheduled for 2023. Go-Green also serves Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Stock Assessment floating camps in rural BC as well as a number of environmental consulting groups. 

“We commonly install systems for float home villages, floating fishing lodges/camps, marinas and even for private landowners,” says Kjerside. “The first installation we did was in 2006 and after the 10-year maintenance cycle, they were all still operating at optimal efficiency so our concept is proven.”

Although its base model starts at approximately $9,000 CAD, it’s a reasonable expenditure with significant cost savings. Kjerside explained the system doesn’t require the extensive piping and vacuum systems of traditional septic tanks, which reduces the installation process, and the costs for municipality pump-out or other public treatment services are eliminated. 

From serving areas as far as north as Haida Gwaii to Coquitlam, the company’s efforts to treat wastewater under Environment Canada's LC 50 parameter discharge into the environment is a proven effort. It’s a concept that should at least be considered to ensure greener, cleaner grounds and further preserve BC’s inland and coastal waterways. 

For more information visit www.gogreenseptic.ca