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Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (SOR/2012-139)

Regulations are current to 2024-08-18 and last amended on 2024-05-27. Previous Versions

PART 1Authorization to Deposit (continued)

Record Keeping

Marginal note:Information to be recorded

 The owner or operator of a wastewater system must keep the report on each determination made by an accredited laboratory referred to in section 16 and a record that contains the following information:

  • (a) for any final discharge point,

    • (i) the date of each day on which effluent was not deposited via the final discharge point,

    • (ii) the date of each day on which effluent was deposited via the final discharge point, and

    • (iii) for each of the days referred to in subparagraph (ii)

      • (A) for a wastewater system whose daily volume of effluent referred to in paragraph 7(1)(a) was determined using monitoring equipment referred to in section 9

        • (I) the daily volume of the effluent, expressed in m3, if that volume is yielded by a continuous measure, and

        • (II) the estimated daily volume, expressed in m3, as determined in accordance with subsection 7(3) and the results of the measurement and the calculation referred to in paragraphs 7(3)(a) and (b), in any other case, and

      • (B) for a wastewater system whose daily volume of effluent referred to in paragraph 7(1)(a) was determined using a method of estimation in accordance with subsection 7(4), the estimated daily volume, expressed in m3 and the method of estimation that was used, and

    • (iv) the average daily volume of effluent deposited annually, expressed in m3, determined in accordance with subsection 8(1), if applicable;

  • (b) for each combined sewer overflow point via which effluent is deposited because of precipitation, including the melting of snow or ice, that resulted in excess wastewater in the wastewater system,

    • (i) the date of each day on which effluent was deposited via the overflow point,

    • (ii) for each of those days, the duration or estimated duration, expressed in hours, of the deposit, along with an indication of whether it is the duration or an estimated duration and

      • (A) the daily volume of the effluent deposited, expressed in m3, if that volume is yielded by a continuous measure, and

      • (B) the estimated daily volume of the effluent deposited, expressed in m3, in any other case,

    • (iii) the volume or estimated volume, expressed in m3, of effluent for each month during which effluent was deposited via the overflow point, and

    • (iv) the number of days in each of those months during which effluent was deposited via the overflow point;

  • (c) for any monitoring equipment referred to in section 9,

    • (i) a description, including its type,

    • (ii) if applicable, the manufacturer’s specifications, the year of manufacture and the model number,

    • (iii) each date on which the equipment was calibrated and its degree of accuracy after each calibration,

    • (iv) the date on which the equipment was installed and, if applicable, the date on which it ceased to be used for monitoring and on which it was replaced,

    • (v) the manufacturer’s recommendations for its operation, maintenance and calibration, with supporting documents if they are available, and

    • (vi) a document setting out the calibration procedure that is prepared, signed and certified by a licensed professional, if the monitoring equipment is calibrated in accordance with the recommendations of the licensed professional;

  • (d) for each sample referred to in subsection 10(1) to (4), as the case may be, and, if applicable, subsection 6(4),

    • (i) the results of the determinations referred to in subsection 10(6),

    • (ii) a statement as to whether the sample is a grab sample or a composite sample and the date on which the sample was taken,

    • (iii) a document setting out the sampling location and sampling procedure that is signed and certified by the licensed professional, if the sample is taken at a sampling location other than the final discharge point, and

    • (iv) a statement as to whether the result of the determination of the concentration of suspended solids was not taken into account in the average referred to in paragraph 6(1)(b), in accordance with subsection 6(5);

  • (e) for any dechlorination system referred to in paragraph 6(7)(h),

    • (i) a description of the system, including the manufacturer’s specifications, the year of manufacture and the model number, if any, and

    • (ii) any results of the determination of the concentration of total residual chlorine in the effluent and a description of how that determination was made;

  • (f) for each sample referred to in section 11 whose acute lethality was determined in accordance with section 15, the information referred to in section 8 of Reference Method EPS 1/RM/13 and, if the acute lethality of the effluent was determined in accordance with that method used with the Procedure for pH Stabilization EPS 1/RM/50, section 3 of that procedure;

  • (g) if the owner or operator holds of a temporary authorization issued under subsection 36(1),

    • (i) for each sample referred to in paragraph (d),

      • (A) the result of the determination referred to in paragraph 38(b),

      • (B) the results of the determination of the concentration of total ammonia in the effluent and of the pH of the effluent referred to in subsections 14(2) and (3), respectively, that were used to make the determination referred to in clause (A),

      • (C) a statement as to whether the sample is a grab sample or a composite sample and the date on which the sample was taken, and

    • (ii) the result of the determination referred to in paragraph 38(c) for each August and a description of how that determination was made.

Reporting

Identification Report

Marginal note:Required information

  •  (1) The owner or operator of a wastewater system must send to the authorization officer an identification report that contains the following information:

    • (a) the owner’s and the operator’s name, civic and postal addresses, telephone number and, if any, email address and fax number;

    • (b) the name, title, civic and postal addresses, telephone number and, if any, email address and fax number, of a contact person;

    • (c) if any, the wastewater system’s name and civic address;

    • (d) with respect to the wastewater system:

      • (i) a statement indicating whether it is an intermittent or continuous wastewater system,

      • (ii) for a continuous wastewater system, a statement indicating whether its hydraulic retention time is five days or more,

      • (iii) a statement indicating whether the system is owned or operated, or both, by one or several of the following:

        • (A) His Majesty in right of Canada or another federal body,

        • (B) His Majesty in right of a province or another provincial body,

        • (C) a municipality or another local authority,

        • (D) an Indigenous governing body, or

        • (E) an entity other than one referred to in clauses (A) to (D),

      • (iv) a description of the type of wastewater treatment used, if any, and

      • (v) if chlorine or one of its compounds is used, a statement indicating whether a dechlorination system that meets the requirements of paragraph 6(7)(h) is in use;

    • (e) the latitude and longitude of the final discharge point;

    • (f) for a point of entry in relation to the final discharge point,

      • (i) its latitude and longitude,

      • (ii) a description of the water frequented by fish into which effluent is deposited, including

        • (A) a description of its use, if any, and

        • (B) its name, if any, and the name, if any, of the body of water that includes that water, and

      • (iii) a statement as to whether the effluent is deposited in water frequented by fish via the final discharge point or from a place where it was deposited via the final discharge point;

    • (g) the number of overflow points for each of the combined sewers and sanitary sewers of the wastewater system and the latitude and longitude of each of those overflow points;

    • (h) for a point of entry in relation to each overflow point, a description of the water frequented by fish into which effluent is deposited, including

      • (i) a description of its use, if any, and

      • (ii) its name, if any, and the name, if any, of the body of water that includes that water; and

    • (i) for the calendar year before the calendar year in which the identification report is sent, the average daily volume, expressed in m3, of effluent deposited via all of the wastewater system’s final discharge points — calculated in accordance with subsection 7(1) or by using another method based on measurements or, if not so calculated, determined on the basis of the system’s average design rate of flow of influent — and a statement of the method of calculation or determination used and, in the case of a method of calculation based on measurements, a brief description of that method.

  • Marginal note:Required information — fictional consolidated wastewater system

    (2) Despite subsection (1), the owner or operator of a fictional consolidated wastewater system must send an identification report, for each of the original wastewater systems that constitute the fictional system, containing a statement as to whether the final discharge point of that original wastewater system is, in accordance with subsection 4(2), considered to be the final discharge point of the fictional consolidated wastewater system.

  • Marginal note:Latitude and longitude

    (3) The latitude and longitude of a point referred to in paragraph (1)(e), subparagraph (1)(f)(i) and paragraph (1)(g) are to be expressed in decimal degrees to four decimal places rounded to the nearest ten-thousandth of a degree and, if the latitude or longitude is equidistant between two ten-thousandths of a degree, to the higher of them.

  • Marginal note:Electronic report

    (4) The identification report must be sent electronically, within 45 days after the day on which the wastewater system is put into service, in the form and format specified by the Minister of the Environment and must bear the electronic signature of the owner or operator or their authorized representative.

  • Marginal note:Paper report

    (5) If the Minister of the Environment has not specified an electronic form and format or if it is not feasible to send the report electronically in accordance with subsection (4) because of circumstances beyond the control of the owner or operator, the report must be sent on paper, signed by the owner or operator, or their authorized representative, and in the form and format specified by the Minister of the Environment, if applicable.

  • Marginal note:Change of information

    (6) If the information provided in the identification report changes, the owner or operator or authorized representative must update the identification report no later than 45 days after the day on which the change is made.

  • Marginal note:Decommissioning

    (7) An owner or operator of a wastewater system must, at least 45 days before the planned decommissioning of the wastewater system, send a notice to the authorization officer setting out the planned date of the decommissioning and information specifying the place, including the civic address, if any, of that place, where the identification report is to be kept.

Monitoring Report and Notice

[
  • SOR/2024-97, s. 14
]

Marginal note:Information

  •  (1) The owner or operator of a wastewater system must send, within 45 days after the end of the period referred to in subsection (2), to the authorization officer, for each final discharge point, a monitoring report containing the following information:

    • (a) if applicable, a statement that indicates that effluent was not deposited during that period; and

    • (b) in any other case,

      • (i) if applicable, a statement that indicates any month in that period during which effluent was not deposited,

      • (ii) the number of days during which effluent was deposited,

      • (iii) the volume of effluent that was deposited, expressed in m3, determined in accordance with subsection 7(1),

      • (iv) the average carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand due to the quantity of CBOD matter in the effluent,

      • (v) the average concentration of suspended solids in the effluent and a statement as to whether, in accordance with subsection 6(5), the determination of the average concentration referred to in paragraph 6(1)(b) did not take into account the result of any concentration of suspended solids greater than 25 mg/L,

      • (vi) [Repealed, SOR/2024-97, s. 15]

      • (vii) if the owner or operator holds a temporary authorization issued under subsection 36(1),

        • (A) the result of each determination referred to in clause 17(g)(i)(A) and the date on which the sample used to make that determination was taken, and

        • (B) if the period includes an August, the result of the determination referred to in subparagraph 17(g)(ii) for that August, and

      • (viii) for each sample for which a determination of acute lethality was made in accordance with section 15, a statement that indicates

        • (A) the date on which the sample was taken,

        • (B) each procedure referred to in section 15 that was used to determine the sample’s acute lethality, and

        • (C) whether the sample was acutely lethal or not.

  • Marginal note:Period

    (2) For the purpose of subsection (1), the period is

    • (a) a calendar year, if the wastewater system deposited an average daily volume of effluent via all of the final discharge points during the previous calendar year in respect of that calendar year of

      • (i) less than or equal to 17 500 m3, for an intermittent wastewater system, or

      • (ii) less than or equal to 2 500 m3, for a continuous wastewater system with a hydraulic retention time of five or more days or for a continuous wastewater system that is the subject of a transitional authorization; and

    • (b) a quarter, in any other case.

  • Marginal note:Period for which information reported

    (3) The information referred to in subsection (1) is to be reported

    • (a) for the period referred to in subsection (2), if that period is a calendar year or a quarter; and

    • (b) for each month during that period, if that period is a quarter and the average daily volume of effluent deposited via all of the final discharge points during the previous calendar year in respect of that quarter was greater than 17 500 m3.

  • Marginal note:Electronic report

    (4) The report must be sent electronically in the form and format specified by the Minister of the Environment and must bear the electronic signature of the owner or operator or their authorized representative.

  • Marginal note:Paper report

    (5) If the Minister of the Environment has not specified an electronic form and format or if it is not feasible to send the report electronically in accordance with subsection (4) because of circumstances beyond the control of the owner or operator, the report must be sent on paper, signed by the owner or operator or their authorized representative, and in the form and format specified by the Minister of the Environment, if applicable.

Marginal note:Notice

 The owner or operator of a wastewater system must notify an inspector, fishery officer, or authority prescribed by any regulations made under the Act without delay if a test carried out on a sample of effluent indicates that

  • (a) the concentration of total residual chlorine in the effluent exceeds the maximum concentration set out in paragraph 6(7)(h);

  • (b) the concentration of un-ionized ammonia in the effluent, as determined in accordance with section 14, exceeds the limit set out in subsection 6(1); or

  • (c) the effluent is acutely lethal, as determined in accordance with section 15.

 

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