Don’t flush that!!! Ever wondered what really happens after you flush? Spoiler alert: flushing the wrong things can clog up more than just your pipes—it has major impacts on our city and our environment. Join our panel as we follow the hidden journey of waste—from your toilet to city pipes, treatment plants, and rivers beyond. We’ll discuss how items like diapers, oils, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and "flushable" wipes can clog city pipes, damage treatment plants, and harm rivers and watersheds. Plus, we’ll learn how rain and snow add even more stress to our sewers and waterways. Discover why toilets aren’t trash cans, and how making smart choices can help protect your home, your water, and the environment.
Join the conversation! Share your thoughts using the hashtag #CuriosityOnStage
Our Speakers:
Robert Haller, Canadian Water and Wastewater Association
Robert Haller is the executive director of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, a role he took on after almost 20 years as a senior municipal administrator – most of those years serving as a CAO for small and medium-sized communities. Robert leads the CWWA as the national voice for water and wastewater in Ottawa and promotes collaboration between all the water organizations across Canada. Robert has served on a number of national roundtables representing the utility sector to the federal government.
Laura Reinsborough, Ottawa Riverkeeper
Laura has worked in gardens, galleries, and along river banks to deliver positive environmental and social change. She holds a Magisteriate in Environmental Studies from York University specialized in environmental education and community arts.
At the age of 25, Laura founded Toronto’s Not Far From The Tree, an award-winning charitable initiative to pick fruit growing in backyards and transform it into a shared public good. Later, at the helm of Food For All New Brunswick, she built a robust network to activate and amplify food security. She is a TEDx speaker, a recipient of the Vital People Award, the Women of the Earth Award, and the Gaia Environmental Award, and she was named an Agent of Change by the Centre for Social Innovation.
Laura lives near the Ottawa River in Orléans. Originally from Sackville, New Brunswick, Laura grew up very connected to water: canoeing on the lake in her backyard, swimming on the beaches of the Northumberland Strait, and mudsliding on the Bay of Fundy mudflats. She speaks four languages and loves to cross-country ski. Since 2021, Laura has held the esteemed title of Riverkeeper & CEO with Ottawa Riverkeeper.
Hiran Sandanayake, City of Ottawa
Hiran Sandanayake, P.Eng., is the Manager of the Water Resources Planning and Engineering Branch, City of Ottawa. Hiran has degrees in Civil Engineering (Environmental Option) and Economics.
Hiran’s role as a Manager in the Asset Management Service in the City of Ottawa includes leading technical experts that deal with risks of flood, fire, landslide, erosion, source water contamination, pollution, and drinking water system integrity while supporting growth, financial sustainability, and levels of service in the City of Ottawa.
Currently the past Chair, Hiran also served as the Chair of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association’s (CWWA) National Committee on Climate Change for the previous 12 years.
Maturity comments: This lecture is appropriate for all ages, but will be most appreciated by an adult audience.
Supported by the Ingenium Foundation: