Wastewater Systems Effluent
Regulations
October 23, 2013
Presentation Outline
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Introduction
Application
Types of wastewater systems
Part 1: Authorization to Deposit
– Deleterious substances and authorization to deposit
– Monitoring requirements
– Record keeping
– Reports (identification, monitoring, overflow)
• Part 2: Transitional and Temporary Authorizations to Deposit
– Transitional authorization
– Temporary authorization to deposit un-ionized
ammonia
– Temporary bypass authorization
– Exception to chlorine requirements
• Coming into Force
• Administration
Page 2 – April-13-15
Introduction
• Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) were
published in Canada Gazette, Part II on July 18, 2012
• The purpose of this presentation is to provide a brief overview
of the WSER with a focus on upcoming requirements.
• This document is intended to provide guidance only by
reviewing some of the provisions of the Wastewater Systems
Effluent Regulations. This document is not a substitute for
reading the WSER and does not in any way supersede or
modify the Fisheries Act or the WSER. In the event of an
inconsistency between this document and the Act and/or the
WSER, the Act and the WSER prevail. Individuals with specific
legal problems are urged to seek advice from legal counsel.
Page 3 – April-13-15
Application
• Applicable to wastewater systems that collect, or are designed to
collect, an average volume of 100 mᶟ/d or more of influent
(Subsection 2(1))
• Not applicable to:
– Wastewater systems that collected less than 100 mᶟ/d of
influent in the previous calendar year (Subsection 2(2))
– Wastewater systems in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut,
and north of the 54th parallel in Québec and Newfoundland
and Labrador (Subsection 2(3))
– Wastewater systems on the site of industrial, commercial or
institutional facilities that are designed to collect less than
50% of blackwater and greywater combined (Subsection
2(4))
– Mills as defined in the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations
(Subsection 2(5))
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Types of Wastewater Systems
• Intermittent (lagoons) (Paragraph 3(a))
– Hydraulic retention time (HRT) ≥ 90 days and
maximum of 4 discharge periods/year
▪ Discharge periods must be separated by at
least 7 days of no discharge
• Continuous
– All other wastewater systems (Paragraph 3(b))
– Specific conditions for continuous discharging
lagoons with HRT ≥ 5 days
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Part 1: Authorization to Deposit
• WSER authorize the deposit of effluent from the final discharge point of
a wastewater system during a calendar year, quarter or month, that
contains the prescribed deleterious substances (as per Section 5)
- IF, as per subsection 6(1):
▪ The effluent meets the effluent quality standards for
CBOD, SS, TRC and NH3 during the previous calendar
year, quarter or month, and
▪ The effluent is not acutely lethal
– OR IF, as per subsection 23(1), the deposit is made in
accordance with a
▪ Transitional authorization
▪ Temporary authorization
– To deposit un-ionized ammonia
– To bypass a treatment process
Page 6 – April-13-15
Authorization to Deposit
(continued)
• Effluent quality standards are in effect January 1, 2015
Carbonaceous
biochemical
oxygen demand
(CBOD)
average
≤ 25 mg/L
Suspended
solids (SS)
average
Total residual
chlorine (TRC)
average
≤ 25 mg/L
≤ 0.02 mg/L
Page 7 – April-13-15
Un-ionized
ammonia (NH3)
(expressed as
nitrogen, at 15°C ±
1°C)
maximum
< 1.25 mg/L
Monitoring Requirements
• Requirement to monitor the daily volume of influent or effluent
(Section 7) began on January 1, 2013
– Intermittent system
▪ Continuous measure, measure rate of flow or
estimate based on generally accepted
engineering practices
– Continuous system
▪ > 2500 mᶟ/d: continuous measure
▪ ≤ 2500 mᶟ/d: continuous measure or measure
rate of flow
▪ Flow monitoring equipment must be installed by
January 1, 2013 (Section 9)
Page 8 – April-13-15
Monitoring Requirements
(continued)
• Monitoring of deleterious substances in effluent (Section 10) began on January
1, 2013
– CBOD, SS, TRC (if used) and NH₃ (NH₃ monitoring requirement ends
July 1, 2014 except in cases where a Temporary Authorization to
deposit un-ionized ammonia has been granted)
▪ Sampling frequency and type of samples vary based on
the type of system and the volume of effluent deposited
▪ Test methods (Sections 12 to 14)
• Acute lethality monitoring (Section 11) begins January 1, 2015
– For systems > 2500 mᶟ/d
– Sampling frequency varies based on the volume of effluent
deposited and the results of recent tests
– Rainbow trout acute lethality test with or without pH stabilization (EPS
1/RM/13 with or without EPS 1/RM/50) (Section 15)
• Laboratory must be accredited to do the test (Section 16)
Page 9 – April-13-15
Record-Keeping Requirements
• Records keeping requirements (Section 17) came into
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effect on January 1, 2013.
Records for the final discharge point include:
– Dates effluent was not deposited
– Dates effluent was deposited and daily volume
deposited
– Average annual daily volume deposited
– Information on monitoring equipment and its
maintenance, if applicable (Subsection 17(c) – in
effect upon registration of the WSER)
– Results of laboratory analyses
– Types of samples taken and dates of sampling
Page 10 – April-13-15
Record-Keeping Requirements
(continued)
• Records for combined sewer overflows (CSOs):
– Dates effluent was deposited and for each day
▪ Duration of deposit (actual or estimated)
▪ Volume deposited (actual or estimated)
– Monthly volume deposited (actual or estimated)
– Number of days per month effluent was deposited
• Records for receiving environment:
– NH₃ determinations in August if the system is
under a temporary authorization for NH₃
Page 11 – April-13-15
Identification Report
• Identification Reports were required to be submitted to
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Environment Canada by May 15, 2013 for any systems
that were operational as of January 1, 2013.
For systems that became operational during 2013, the
Identification Report must be submitted within 45 days of
the system becoming operational.
Approximately two thirds of Ontario First Nations have
not yet submitted Identification Reports.
Reports are submitted using the ERRIS database.
Page 12 – April-13-15
Identification Report (continued)
• Required information (Section 18(1)) includes:
– Name, civic and postal address, telephone number, and
email address of the owner, operator and contact person
– Name and civic address of the wastewater system, if any
– Information about the wastewater system e.g. type
(intermittent, continuous, continuous with HRT ≥ 5 days), type
of treatment, entity that owns/operates it
– Latitude and longitude of final discharge point, each overflow
point, and point of entry for the final discharge point
– Information related to the points of entry e.g. description of
the water frequented by fish and the name of the water body
– Annual average daily volume of effluent deposited for the
previous calendar year and an indication of how it was
determined
Page 13 – April-13-15
Monitoring Report
• Required information (Subsection 19(1)) includes,
– Number of days effluent was deposited and
volume deposited
– Average CBOD and SS
– Maximum NH₃ concentration, if applicable
– Acutely lethal effluent or not, if applicable
• Submitted electronically to the authorization officer within 45 days after
the end of
– Calendar year (Paragraph 19(2)(a)) (first report due February
14, 2014)
▪ Intermittent systems ≤ 17500 mᶟ/d
▪ Continuous systems with HRT ≥ 5 days ≤ 2500 mᶟ/d
– A quarter (Paragraph 19(2)(b)) (first report due May 15, 2013)
▪ Any other case
Page 14 – April-13-15
Combined Sewer Overflow Report
• Applies to wastewater systems with at least one combined
sewer overflow point
• Required information (Section 20) includes:
– Volume (actual or estimated) of effluent deposited in
each month
– Number of days effluent was deposited in each month
– Indication of each month there was no overflow, if
applicable
• Submitted to the authorization officer by February 15 of the
following year (first report due February 15, 2014)
Page 15 – April-13-15
Record Making and Document
Retention
• Records must be made without delay (Section 21)
• All records and reports must be kept for 5 years (Subsection 22 (1))
– Exceptions (Subsection 22(3)):
▪ Records related to flow monitoring equipment must
be kept for at least 5 years after equipment is no
longer used
▪ Records related to ID report must be kept for at least
5 years after decommissioning of the system
• Keep records and documents at the wastewater system or at any
other place where it is available for inspection (Subsection 22(2))
Page 16 – April-13-15
Part 2: Transitional and Temporary
Authorizations
• Effluent from the final discharge point that does not meet
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the effluent quality standards may be deposited if the
deposit is made in accordance with an authorization
issued under Part 2 (Section 23)
Types of Authorizations:
– Transitional authorization to achieve secondary
wastewater treatment (Sections 24 to 33)
– Temporary authorization to deposit un-ionized
ammonia when effluent is acutely lethal due to unionized ammonia (Sections 34 to 42)
– Temporary authorization to bypass (Sections 43
to 47)
Page 17 – April-13-15
Transitional Authorization
• May be applied for, beginning January 1, 2013, if the average
CBOD and/or SS exceeded 25 mg/L in the effluent deposited from
the final discharge point during the specified period(s) (Section 24)
• Application must be submitted electronically to the authorization
officer no later June 30, 2014
• Required information (Section 25) includes:
– Effluent quality and quantity and description of the water
where effluent is deposited
– Number of points allocated to the final discharge point
(Schedule 2) and, if used, to a combined sewer overflow
point (Schedule 3)
– Plan for the modifications to be made to the system to
achieve secondary treatment, or equivalent
– Plan for the modifications to be made to reduce combined
sewer overflows (if Schedule 3 is used)
Page 18 – April-13-15
Transitional Authorization
(continued)
• Schedule 2
– Points allocated to the final discharge point are based on:
▪ Annual average daily volume
▪ Average CBOD, SS, TRC and NH₃
▪ Description of water where effluent is deposited via
final discharge point
• Schedule 3 (Optional)
– Points allocated to a CSO point based on:
▪ Estimated ADWF* at CSO point / Estimated ADWF at
final discharge point
▪ # of overflows in a year
▪ Description of water where effluent is deposited via
overflow point
*ADWF: average dry weather flow
Page 19 – April-13-15
Transitional Authorization
(continued)
• Transitional authorization period (Subsection 26(2)) will begin on
January 1, 2015 and will end on:
– December 31, 2020, if points ≥ 70 based on Schedule 2
– December 31, 2030, if points ≥ 50 to < 70 based on
Schedule 2
– December 31, 2040
▪ If points < 50 based on Schedule 2; or
▪ If points ≥ 50 based on Schedule 2 and total points
based on Schedule 3 ≥ total points on Schedule 2
• Transitional authorization may expire early (Section 33) if the effluent was
not acutely lethal and met the CBOD and SS averages of 25 mg/L during
specified periods
Page 20 – April-13-15
Transitional Authorization
(continued)
• The transitional authorization indicates the site-specific authorized
concentrations of the prescribed deleterious substances for the duration
of the transitional authorization (Section 30)
• The holder of a transitional authorization must:
– Meet the site-specific authorized concentrations (Section 28)
– Satisfy compliance obligations (Section 29)
▪ Similar to those for systems meeting the standards (e.g.
monitor effluent quantity and quality)
▪ Upgrade the system according to the plan for
modification and the implementation schedule
submitted
▪ Submit progress reports on the steps taken to
implement the plan
– Submit a revised plan if changes are made to it (Section 27)
• Upon expiry, effluent quality standards for CBOD and SS must be met
Page 21 – April-13-15
Temporary Authorization to Deposit
Un-Ionized Ammonia (NH₃)
• If effluent deposited via the final discharge point is
acutely lethal because of NH₃, an application for a
temporary authorization may be submitted (Subsection
34(1)), beginning January 1, 2013, if:
– NH₃ concentration in the water, 100 m from the
point of entry, is ≤ 0.016 mg/L N; and
– Acute lethality of effluent is primarily due to NH₃
determined by
▪ Rainbow trout acute lethality test failure
primarily because of NH₃ (Paragraph
34(1)(a)); or
▪ Effluent NH₃ concentration ≥ 1.25 mg/L N
(Paragraph 34(1)(b))
Page 22 – April-13-15
Temporary Authorization to Deposit
NH₃ (continued)
• Initial application for a temporary authorization must be
submitted electronically to the authorization officer within
30 days after the determination of acutely lethal effluent
due to NH₃ (Subsection 34(5))
• Issued for a period of three years (Section 36) with
possibility of extension for successive periods of three
years (Subsection 40(1))
• Applications to extend must be made at least 90 days
before the expiry date (Subsection 34(5))
Page 23 – April-13-15
Temporary Authorization to Deposit
NH₃ (continued)
• The holder of an NH₃ authorization is authorized to deposit effluent
that:
– Meets the standards for CBOD, SS and TRC
(Paragraph 37(a))
– Results in an NH₃ concentration in the water, 100 m
from the point of entry, of ≤ 0.016 mg/L N (Paragraph
37(b))
– Satisfies the compliance obligations (Section 38)
▪ Similar to those for systems meeting the
standards (e.g. monitor effluent quantity and quality)
▪ Monitor NH₃ at the same frequency as CBOD and
SS
▪ Determine the concentration of NH₃ in the water
once each August by using a total ammonia test or
method of estimation, and report the result
Page 24 – April-13-15
Temporary Bypass Authorization
• Application for a temporary bypass authorization (Section 43)
– May be made for construction work or maintenance on the
system; or in response to an anticipated event beyond owner
or operator control
– Bypass must be designed to minimize the volume of effluent
and the concentration of the prescribed deleterious
substances deposited
– Must be submitted electronically to the authorization officer
at least 45 days before the bypass is to occur, beginning
January 1, 2015
• Content of application (Section 44):
– Information on location, period, duration, estimated volume
of effluent
– Explanation of how the impact of the bypass will be
minimized
Page 25 – April-13-15
Exception to Chlorine Requirements
• Beginning on January 1, 2015, systems that use chlorine
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(or one of it’s compounds) in the treatment of effluent
must meet the effluent quality standard for chorine
(average concentration not to exceed 0.02 mg/L).
The WSER creates an exception for systems that deposit
an average daily volume of < 5000 mᶟ.
For these types of systems, the requirement to meet the
effluent quality standard for chorine does not come into
effect until January 1, 2021.
Page 26 – April-13-15
Provisions in Force as of June 29,
2012
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Definitions (Section 1)
Application (Sections 2, 3 & 4)
Deleterious substances (Section 5)
Monitoring equipment requirements (Section 9)
Record keeping for monitoring equipment (Paragraph
17(c))
Record making and retention of documents (Sections
21 & 22)
Coming into force (Section 50)
Page 27 – April-13-15
Provisions in Force as of January 1,
2013
• Averaging period, determination of averages and maximum, conditions
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(Subsections 6(2) to (6))
Determining average daily effluent volume (Sections 7 & 8)
Effluent monitoring (Section 10)
Test methods for CBOD, SS, un-ionized ammonia and accredited lab
(Sections 12, 13, 14 & 16)
Recording of deposits and effluent volume from final discharge points
and CSOs (Section 17, excluding 17(c))
Identification report (Section 18)
Monitoring report (Section 19)
CSO report (Section 20)
Transitional authorization application, requirements and content
(Sections 23 to 27, 30 & 31)
Temporary authorization to deposit NH₃ application, requirements,
content (Sections 34, 35, 36, 39, and 41)
Applications submitted electronically (Section 48)
Registry of authorizations (Section 49)
Page 28 – April-13-15
Coming into Force on January 1,
2015
• TRC standard for systems ≥ 5000 mᶟ/d and CBOD, SS and NH₃
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standards, non-acutely lethal effluent (Subsection 6(1))
Conditions to deposit (Subsection 6(7))
Acute lethality testing, if applicable and test methods for acute
lethality (Sections 11 & 15)
Specific limits in transitional authorizations (TA) and compliance
obligations (Sections 28 & 29, excluding paragraph 28(1)(c))
Revocation and early expiry of TA (Sections 32 & 33)
Conditions and compliance obligations on temporary authorization
for NH₃ (Sections 37 & 38)
Extension of temporary authorization for NH₃ (Section 40)
Revocation of temporary authorization for NH₃ (Section 42)
Temporary bypass authorization application, requirements and
conditions (Sections 43 to 47)
Page 29 – April-13-15
Coming into Force on January 1,
2021
• Effluent quality standard for TRC for systems < 5000
mᶟ/d (Paragraph 6(1)(c))
• Conditions on transitional authorizations for TRC < 5000
mᶟ/d (Paragraph 28(1)(c))
Page 30 – April-13-15
Administration
• EC is working to establish agreements with the provinces and
Yukon to reduce administrative burden for federal and
provincial regulatory requirements and to set out procedures
for cooperation between federal and provincial regulators
• Authorization Officer (Schedule 1):
– Receives reports and applications for authorizations
– Manager, Wastewater Section, Environment Canada
or a provincial official where an agreement is in place
• Reports and applications must be submitted electronically
through Environment Canada’s Effluent Regulatory Reporting
Information System (ERRIS) database.
Page 31 – April-13-15
Additional Information
• The Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations are
available on-line at:
http://lawslois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2012139/FullText.html
• Additional information may also be obtained at EC’s
website: www.ec.gc.ca/eu-ww
• Questions may be sent to ww-eu@ec.gc.ca or call 819994-2329
Page 32 – April-13-15