City of Ottawa ending free dumping of wastewater from RV drivers

CTV News

16 hours ago

The City of Ottawa says this year will be the last year RV users can freely drop off wastewater for disposal at the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre.
The RV waste disposal program operates from May to November, allowing people to bring their liquid waste to the water treatment plant and dispose of it at no charge. The City of Ottawa says the program oversees approximately 500 RV waste disposals per year.
But now, following a review of operations at the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre, city staff say the RV waste disposal program will be discontinued at the end of the 2025 season on Nov. 30. Staff say security issues, labour costs, and construction are all factors in the decision to stop accepting waste from RV drivers.
'The audit identified that the program poses safety risks to both the public and staff, as well as to the City's critical infrastructure. In addition, ongoing construction and site upgrades are impacting access to disposal areas and contributing to already high vehicle traffic volumes,' a memo from General Manager of Infrastructure and Water Services Tammy Rose said.
Rose says the city incurs an annual cost of approximately $2,000 to dispose of RV waste and $43,500 to oversee the program.
'Though it is difficult to precisely quantify the cost savings or the value of improved efficiency at the site, it is estimated that over $450,000 in savings on combined FTE and disposal costs will be realized over the next 10 years by canceling the program.'
The city says RV owners have access to alternative local dumping sites where they can manage their wastewater independently.