CCME Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent

1. CCME Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent Manitoba Consultation Greenwood Inn December 6, 2007

2. Previous Consultations • 3 rounds consultations/information sessions since 2004 • Between November 06 and March 07: • Consultation with a full range of stakeholders • More than 30 sessions held across Canada • Committees considered these comments and revised the Strategy and developed the Economic Plan

3. Scope of the Strategy • The Strategy addresses the effluents discharged to surface water from municipal wastewater system including: • The main effluent • Overflows from combined sewers • The Strategy does not address storm water effluents nor the management of biosolids

4. Key features of the Strategy • Performance • National performance standards • Site specific environmental discharge objectives • Harmonised regulatory framework • One set of rules • One-window reporting • Implementation • National performance standards will apply to new and upgraded wastewater systems upon commissioning; • Timelines for existing systems not currently meeting national performance standards will be based on risks - timelines can be adjusted to address risks from CSOs; • Initial effluent characterization over a one year period and establishment of Site specific environmental discharge objectives. • Economic implications • An economic plan supports the implementation of the Strategy • Science and research • Research priorities established and coordination through a national committee

5. Environmental Risk Management Environmental Risk Assessments and Initial Characterization of Effluent Effluent Monitoring Effluent Discharge Objectives (EDOs) Meet NPS? Meet EDOs? CSOs? Pass Tox Test? NO YES NO NO High, Medium, Low Risk Timeline for Implementation Combined Sewer and Overflow Reduction Planning Toxicity Identification and Reduction Planning Risk Management Submission of Action Plan Regulators via One-Window Compliance Reporting

6. National Performance Standards • Baseline standards applied across the country • Biochemical oxygen demand – 25 mg/L • Total suspended solids – 25 mg/L • Total residual chlorine – 0.02 mg/L • For systems operating under “arctic conditions”, “arctic standards” will be developed within 5 years

7. National Performance Standards • Standards will be applied immediately to new and upgraded systems • Existing systems not currently meeting the standards: • Application to will be based on risk • Higher risks systems will be upgraded first • The Strategy also allows for an assessment of the relative risks associated with overflows from combined sewers and the possibility to adjust implementation timelines accordingly

8. Site-specific performance standards • Site-specific environmental risk assessments will guide the development of site-specific discharge objectives • More stringent than the national performance standards • Risk management decision will determine action to be taken

9. Combined Sewer Overflows • Standards for CSOs • No overflow during dry weather, except during spring thaw and emergencies • No augmentation in the frequency of overflows due to development • Removal of floatables to the extent possible • Development of action plans to reduce the frequency of overflows

10. Monitoring • Monitoring regime based on the size of wastewater system • Monitoring will cover national performance standards and where applicable EDOs, overflows and bypasses Toxicity • End of pipe acute and chronic toxicity testing for all systems • If effluent is toxic then action taken to identify and correct the cause of the toxicity • Source control • Treatment improvement • If toxicity due to ammonia then assimilative capacity of the receiving environment will determine if ammonia reduction is needed

11. Reporting • Regulatory reporting on compliance required • Public reporting on, at a minimum, the National Performance Standards and site-specific requirements • Public reporting on wastewater expenditures also required

12. Science and research • Proposal to set up a national research coordinating committee Economic implications • Funding will be managed in an equitable and sustainable manner • Strategy is supported by an Economic plan

13. Harmonised regulatory framework • Owners of wastewater systems have clarity about the way municipal wastewater effluents are managed and regulated • One set of rules for a given system • including provincial and national requirements • One-window reporting • Jurisdictions will implement the Strategy through their respective policy and regulatory instruments

14. Harmonized Regulatory Framework • One window approach to governance - within 3 years: • Jurisdictions incorporate requirements of Strategy into their respective regulatory frameworks • Bi-lateral agreements established • In NWT and NU – agreements must consider role of water boards

15. 20 years $9.9-12.1 billion Both capital and non-capital costs Environmental benefits achieved earlier Year over year costs will be greater (esp. for medium sized facilities) Bigger burden for less resourced jurisdictions 30 years $10.3 – 13.1 billion Both capital and non-capital costs Strategy more easily accommodated More flexibility to manage both CSOs, NPS, and site-specific needs Inflation could result in a more expensive strategy Costs of the Strategy

16. Implementation Timelines • CCME considering a 30 year implementation timeline • Some jurisdictions cannot afford 20 years • All high and medium risk facilities will be addressed within 20 years • Allows municipalities with CSOs to both address CSOs and meet the National Performance Standards within 30 years

17. Next steps • Public review and comment period ending January 31, 2008 • Completion of the Strategy and submission to CCME for approval Spring 2008

18. Contact Information • Please provide comments by January 31, 2008 to • Jennifer ViganoCCME Secretariat360 – 123 Main StreetWinnipeg MBR3C 1A3(fax) 204.948.2125jvigano@ccme.ca