G.1.a.
Attachment 1
COUNCILLOR QUESTIONS ON THE FOLLOWING ITEM
(JANUARY 13, 2004, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE MEETING)
Drainage Master Plan 2004 – 2014 Implementation and Strategies
1.
Pesticides

Is there an increase in pesticides finding their way into our drainage system?
From 2001 to 2003, Drainage Services has collected and analyzed for 44 different pesticide compounds at storm outfalls, stormwater management lakes, and the North Saskatchewan River. The sampling effort to date for pesticides only qualifies as a screening study and has indicated two pesticides of concern.
Pesticide water quality data collected to date is not sufficient to allow for an assessment of any trends in their persistence in the City’s drainage system.
Additional sampling and analysis for pesticides is continuing in 2004.

Are there environmental standards and concerns about pesticides?
The 1999 Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Canadian
Environmental Quality Guidelines list pesticide criteria concentrations for freshwater aquatic life.
The Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act provides for the development of guidelines and ambient environmental quality objectives for the province of Alberta.
Health Canada’s current Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality list maximum acceptable concentrations for pesticides in drinking water.
Most drinking water quality guidelines are based upon toxicological data obtained from laboratory animal experiments and human case studies involving accidental or occupational exposure to a particular chemical. In Canada, there is minimal information available regarding exposure of the general public to a variety of pesticides. Given the lack of information, toxicologists advise minimizing the amount of pesticide to which one is exposed.

Are these standards likely to become more stringent?
It is anticipated that as the scientific community increases their knowledge about pesticides these guidelines may gradually become better defined.
 Is ‘treatment’ for pesticides costly?
Yes. For drainage systems and watershed management, the only economic option for controlling pesticides is by pollution prevention, i.e. minimize releases to the
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environment. Current treatment processes do not remove pesticides from the wastewater stream.

Has the Department and/or panel of experts looked at this problem and possible solutions?
Community Services established a Pesticide Advisory Committee in early
2002 to provide advice to the City regarding pesticides and City use, plans for reduced use, and public education. A final report was released and a policy issued that City lands adhere to the principles of Integrated Pest
Management.
The Asset Management and Public Works department is the holder of the
Alberta Environment issued Approval-to-Operate for the City’s drainage system. Reducing pesticide releases to the environment is a shared vision.
Drainage Services has committed to working with the Community Services department to jointly fund and participate in a public education program.
2.
Wetlands (Section 4.2.4)
 This section primarily addresses wetlands with ‘permanent’ bodies of water.
Edmonton has many intermittent wetlands. Is it not possible to include these in this section as desired for stormwater management and water quality enhancement?
No distinction has been made between ‘permanent’ bodies of water or intermittent wetlands. The intent of section 4.2.4 is to include all natural bodies of water in the City including both permanent and intermittent.

Are such intermittent wetlands difficult to use in an engineered system because they are not as easy to conform to code standards?
The wetlands are a challenge to incorporate into a stormwater system for a number of reasons:
- Most natural wetlands in Edmonton are by their nature shallow, whether they would be considered permanent or intermittent. Their elevation relative to the constructed underground storm system is problematic from an engineering perspective, but the problem is not insurmountable.
- Their location relative to more desirable storm drainage layouts, or existing property lines. The wetland is not always located in the best place or it may straddle property lines.
- The reticence to permit the use of natural wetlands for stormwater purposes and the potential to ‘pollute’ the wetland with stormwater. There are inlet treatments possible for stormwater entering a wetland. It is possible to direct runoff from certain areas only to the wetland
- The reduced volume for stormwater in a wetland and the need to use a large area of land for stormwater management. Wetlands are typically shallow and occupy more land than a deep wet pond for example. To achieve the same
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level of stormwater protection from a wetland requires more land, whether it’s natural or constructed.
- The expectation of the City to share in the cost of providing this larger area of land to preserve the wetland or the inability of a private interest to develop a large parcel of land in order to preserve the wetland.

Could the Department move to performance based standards to make such engineered systems possible and less costly?
Performance Based Standards have been examined by organizations like
Canada’s National Research Council in the area of building code development.
The premise is to specify materials, components and equipment in terms of what they are required to do as opposed to naming specific products. Drainage
Services has received a request to examine Performance Based Standards as part of its regular review of the City’s Design and Construction Standards. The merits of this will be discussed in this year’s activities with the Urban Development
Institute. The City’s “Guidelines for Constructed Stormwater Wetlands” presently exhibits elements of Performance Based Standards in their present form .

How might this section be amended to include a reference to intermittent wetlands?
This section already includes all wetlands. No attempt has been made to distinguish or exclude wetlands that might be termed ‘intermittent’.
3.
Intensification

The report makes reference to the intensification of development in established areas as impacting the sewerage and drainage systems. What is causing this impact? Is it because the flow is increasing because of newly developing areas going through older areas for treatment as well as the flow due to intensification?
Intensification of lands within the existing built up areas of the City results in increased flows in both the sanitary or combined sewers, as well as increased stormwater runoff into the land drainage systems. Additional flows from upstream new development areas are also impacting the older sewer and drainage systems.

How extensive and critical of an issue is this?
As intensification through Edmonton has tended to be a relatively gradual process, the impacts on the sewers also tend to be incremental in nature. The
Sanitary Servicing Strategy has addressed this issue for large sanitary trunk sewers. However, extensive intensification in a concentrated area can result in immediate sewer or drainage problems for that localized area. To-date, these types of problems have been manageable. However, some areas will require local sewer upgrading that will have to be determined prior to the development.

What Solutions are Proposed?
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- Sanitary Servicing for New Development
Approved by City Council on June 28, 1998, Edmonton's Sanitary Servicing
Strategy provides a long-range servicing and financing plan that facilitates development in new areas and redevelopment within the existing city. To share the burden of front-ending the large construction costs of trunk sewers, the Sanitary Sewer Strategy Fund receives revenue from developers, home builders and the Sanitary Utility.
The net results of this Strategy are that new developments in Edmonton are having much less impact on existing sewer systems as new trunk tunnels are built to service these areas. In future, these new trunks, when completed, will redirect much of the developing areas away from Edmonton's older sewers to an expanded Capital Region treatment plant.
- Sanitary Servicing for Redevelopment Areas
Redevelopment areas pay into the Sanitary Servicing Strategy Fund, and therefore, any trunk sewer works required as a result of land intensification are to be funded from the fund. Smaller sewer system upgrades needed as the result of intensification are funded through the development process.
- Land Drainage for New Development
Stormwater management facilities are usually built by developers to service new development. These facilities are built to contain most stormwater runoff during a rainfall event when the older, downstream storm sewers are full.
These facilities then drain out through the older, downstream sewers after the storm is over and the capacities of those sewers become available for use.
- Land Drainage for Redevelopment Areas
Funding for needed drainage system upgrades for the existing, older systems has traditionally been a large problem. However, since January 2003 the City has been operating a Land Drainage Utility. One significant benefit of this new utility is that it now provides a mechanism in which needed upgrades can be funded over time.
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Page 7 (3.3.2)
Mention is made about the number of interconnections the city has between the sanitary system and the storm system “to provide relief for the sanitary system during wet weather events”. If these interconnections are removed as planned, where is the “relief” for the sanitary sewer system? Will we see more back-ups in residential basements?
Interconnection closure to meet the provincial Approval-to-Operate is only completed after careful monitoring and assessment. In many cases sewer construction is required to provide the required relief while still keeping the sanitary waste out of the storm sewer. In other cases monitoring and computer modeling show that the site can be closed without any impact on flooding. We will not see an increase in flooding because of this program.
Page 12 (4.1.2)
You mention that municipalities have been encouraged to provide “some level of storm water treatment for new developments.”. What kind of treatment? Does the
City of Edmonton do this? Do we ask developers to do this? Should we?
The provincial requirement for stormwater treatment was released by Alberta
Environment in April 2001. In summary the requirement is that stormwater management techniques shall be incorporated to effect a minimum of 85% removal of sediments. Typical treatment measures considered effective for meeting this requirement are construction of wetlands, wet ponds, or the use of oil/grit separators. Developers are required to include components of stormwater quality control in all new developments. As part of the Stormwater Quality
Strategy, Drainage Services is reviewing the possible changes required in the existing drainage systems to provide for stormwater treatment. As the strategy unfolds, we will be able to better determine what the City is able to achieve costeffectively in the way of stormwater treatment on existing systems.
Page 13 (4.1.5)
Regarding separation of the combined storm and sanitary sewer system.
I know this has been the city’s objective for some time now. Could you please summarize how far we are along (what areas have been done) and what kind of timeline are we looking at to separate the rest of it?
One component of the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Strategy is to provide sewer separation on an ongoing basis as opportunities arise. An example would be on neighbourhood renewal work, where rehabilitation work may provide opportunities for relatively cost-effective separation projects.
Over the last many years, sewer separation work has been undertaken in many areas of the City, including portions of the municipal airport lands, and portions of the following neighbourhoods: Ottewell, Kenilworth, Riverdale, Rossdale,
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Cloverdale, Oliver, Parkdale, Cromdale, Virginia Park, McCauley, Alberta
Avenue, Central McDougal, Beverly, Spruce Avenue, and Calder.
We are currently developing plans to pursue sewer separation projects over the next ten years that are likely to result in the separation of additional land.
However, the CSO Control Strategy has been developed to deliver environmental benefits greater than total separation in a more cost-effective manner. Phase I, which plans to spend about $150 million prior to 2016, provides treatment for
85% of CSO flow. Near the end of Phase I, studies will be carried out to determine if additional controls are required.
Page 14 (4.1.7)
Regional Relations. It seems to me that we have been trying to develop a master agreement with the Regional Waste Water Commission for at least three years.
How are we coming? Are there steps city council could take to help push this along?
The City of Edmonton has been in discussion with the Alberta Capital Region
Wastewater Commission with regards to a new master agreement for a number of years. Currently a coordinating committee has been structured with representation from City Council and the Alberta Capital Region Wastewater
Commission Board. As a result of the actions of this coordinating committee, a regional planning study has been initiated and is underway. The results of this study will be a major input into the development of a new regional master agreement. The involvement of our City Councillors has been a significant assistance in pushing this process along.
Page 23 (5.2.1)
You say we want citizens to disconnect their roof leaders from the storm sewer line. I hear very little about this. Should we step up this exercise? How might that be done?
Where practicable, Drainage Services encourages citizens to disconnect their roof leaders from the sanitary or combined sewer and direct them onto the surface in such a way as to not cause flooding problems for themselves or their neighbours. Removal of this direct source of wet weather flow from the sewers lessens the risk of basement backups in the neighbourhood and also reduces the amount of combined sewage that spill to the river untreated. It is important to note that Drainage Services does not encourage such disconnections when the roof leaders are draining into a storm sewer service.
Surveys of many of Edmonton's older neighbourhoods tell us that about 75% of roof leaders have already been disconnected. As well, many of the roof leaders in these areas that remain connected tend to be in situations that may cause some difficulties to the homeowner to reconfigure. In addition, as older homes continue to be renovated, more and more roof leaders are disconnected over time. As a result Drainage Services is of the opinion that an aggressive roof leader
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disconnection program will not achieve significant additional benefits towards reduced basement flooding or combined sewage overflow reduction.
Page 27 (5.5.1)
I don’t know what you mean by “baseflow diversion”. And how is it we are separating oils from the storm water?
Baseflow diversion is the capture and treatment of the stormwater and groundwater infiltration in the bottom of a storm sewer during dry weather flow.
This is normally achieved by diverting these low flows, often called baseflow, to the sanitary system for conveyance to the wastewater treatment plant. High flows during storm events are not diverted or treated.
There are a number of techniques available on the market to separate oil from water. These are usually termed oil/grit separators and are often employed in new developments, especially in the vicinity of large commercial complexes. In addition the City has constructed an oil separator on the Mill Creek storm sewer.
Page 31 (5.8.1)
You commented about providing recycled water to industrial plants east of
Edmonton at the committee meeting. Are you thinking of building a pipeline network? If so, how might that be financed?
In recent years, improvement to wastewater treatment processes and technology have made wastewater produced by plants like Gold Bar suitable for reuse in certain applications. Some industries in Edmonton and area already have expressed interest in using recycled water as a major water supply for their processes. The pipeline and other infrastructure required to deliver recycled water to the Strathcona Industrial area is currently under design and scheduled to be constructed by December 2005 subject to Council approval. A financing plan to construct the recycled water pipeline is currently being negotiated with industry in the area. A proposed financing plan will be submitted to City Council for their approval.
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Could you please explain to council the dividend policy for both of the utilities?
The importance of maintaining a certain amount of cash to be able to borrow appropriately etc. What affect did removal of money in last years budget ( 3
Million dollars) have on this fund?
- As part of the Utility Fiscal Policy approved by Council April 30 th
2003, the annual dividend payment to the City of Edmonton will be made based on the budgeted net income. The policy further defines that for the Sanitary Utility the annual dividend amount will be phased and reach up to 40% of budgeted net income by 2013. For 2004 the dividend level is 19% of budgeted net income or approximately $5 million. For the Land Drainage Utility the payment of a dividend to the City of Edmonton has been exempt until 2014.
- Yes, it is important for the utilities to have a positive cash position. In the case of the Sanitary Utility a positive cash position was achieved in 2001 thus the introduction of the payment of an annual dividend for 2003. So long as the financial position of the utility is sound a dividend payment can be made. The long range financial plans developed for the Sanitary Utility in 2003 reflect the payment of an annual dividend to the City of Edmonton and as well keeping the Utility healthy financially. Land Drainage just started operating as a utility entity as of January 2003, so close monitoring of the financial activities in this operation is important. This is why dividend payment has not been considered until 2014.
- The one time payment (approximately $3 million) was made possible due to the favorable revenue the Sanitary Utility had in 2002. This favorable revenue was attributed to the extremely warm summer resulting in high water consumption. Council approved this one-time only dividend payment which was used to fund other Corporate programs in 2003. If Council had not taken this one-time dividend, funds could have been used to buffer the seasonal pricing implementation in 2003 or other capital initiatives in Drainage
Services.
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NOT FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE:
Councillor M. Phair – Admin Inquiry for January 20, 2004, City Council
Meeting
The following could be seen as more of an inquiry that the Department might like to respond to in the normal eight-week period, if so preferred.
I would like the following information about wetlands (permanent, intermittent, engineered) from the Department.
1. The history of wetlands as an active initiative of the Drainage Department.
2. An evaluation of wetlands that includes.

Negative impacts

Cost to the City to maintain
 Amount of ‘flow’ that is diverted and the cost savings achieved through the use of wetlands

The goals and predictions for future use of wetlands
3.
Are there ways for the City to be more proactive in identifying wetlands that should be designated for drainage purposes before development plans come forward?
4.
How could the Planning Department, the Drainage Department and the
Conservation Coordinator work more cooperatively and proactively to achieve better retention and use of wetlands?
5.
Are there unique issues around the use of wetlands for commercial and industrial use land areas?
Councillor Phair also asked for further information regarding wetlands and their use and conservation in Edmonton. Many of these issues cannot be addressed adequately in the timeframe of the normal inquiry process as they are being examined as part of the Stormwater Quality Control Strategy and the Land
Drainage Servicing Strategy. These strategies are being developed by Drainage
Services and are expected to be completed in late 2004 and implemented in early
2005. It is expected that the information requested by Councillor Phair could be presented to the Transportation and Public Works Committee at the end of August
2004.
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