2.
Background and Problem/Opportunity
Statement
This section provides background information on the Port Perry Urban Area and identifies the Problem/Opportunity statement for this Class EA. It documents Phase 1 of the five‐phase Municipal Class EA planning process (Figure 2‐1). Figure 2‐1 is a project‐specific version of the Municipal Engineer’s Association Municipal Class EA process diagram shown in Figure 1‐1.The Problem/Opportunity statement is the starting point in undertaking a Municipal Class EA and helps define scope of the project. The information considered in the development of the problem statement is presented below. FIGURE 2‐1 The Schedule C Municipal Class EA Process for the Current Study 2.1
Overview of the Port Perry Urban Area
The Port Perry Urban Area is located on the west shore of Lake Scugog in the Township of Scugog, in the Regional Municipality of Durham. Port Perry serves as the Township’s commercial and administrative centre with a Victorian style downtown which makes it a popular tourist destination. Lake Scugog’s cottages and outdoor recreation as well as the nearby Great Blue Heron Casino also draw visitors to the area. In addition, Port Perry is an attractive retirement community due to its proximity to the Greater Toronto Area. Development in Port Perry has been steady in recent years; however, further housing and employment development is currently constrained due to the lack of municipal wastewater treatment capacity. Both the Official Plans for the Region of Durham and Township of Scugog envision moderate growth within the Port Perry Urban Area. Residential growth and employment land development are both part of the plan. The current Nonquon River WPCP has a rated capacity of 3,870 m3/day and serviced a population of approximately 8,980 people in 2011. The total serviced and un‐serviced population of Port Perry is close to 10,000 and the Nonquon River WPCP is currently approaching its capacity limits. The average daily influent flow for 2011 was 3,273 m3/day or approximately 85% of rated capacity. 409001_WBG081712022237TOR
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The Port Perry Urban Area and existing wastewater servicing areas are illustrated on Figure 2‐2 . This figure is a detailed representation of the Regional Structure based on Schedule A of the Durham Regional Official Plan (2008). The Nonquon River WPCP currently provides wastewater treatment for the majority of the urban population within the Port Perry Urban Area, with the exception of the areas designated as “Developable on Private Wastewater Systems”. Approximately 600 lots are currently serviced by individually owned and operated private wastewater systems (i.e. septic systems and holding tanks) within these designated developable areas. This includes approximately 250 lots outside the designated areas within Port Perry Urban Area that are also privately serviced. These are primarily in the Prince Albert area located in the south section of the Port Perry Urban Area. According to the Durham Regional Official Plan (2008), Port Perry is forecast to grow to 11,880 in 2031. This Class EA identified future wastewater capacity requirements necessary to meet residential population growth, employment land development, and service areas currently serviced by private systems. The Durham Regional Official Plan (2008) also specifies that the Regional Council, after due consideration may, without amendment to the Official Plan, authorize the oversizing of any site, intake, outfall and trunk components of any Regional water supply system and sanitary sewerage system, to permit servicing capacity beyond the population targets and related employment targets in order to provide for future options. Therefore, this Class EA considered wastewater capacity requirements for both 2031 and the estimated “full build‐out” of the Port Perry Urban Area. The Official Plan for the Township of Scugog designates approximately 227 ha (660 acres) of land as Employment lands which constitute the Port Perry Employment Area. These lands are located on the west side of the Port Perry Urban Area, between Reach Street in the north and Scugog Line 6 in the south, and between Highway 7/12 in the west and Cawkers Creek in the east. This Employment Area contains three industrial subdivision plans that are currently not connected to municipal water and wastewater services. The Regional Official Plan supports the undertaking of an Environmental Assessment to examine the possibility of extending municipal services to the Employment Area presently serviced by private water and wastewater services. As such, this Class EA also considers providing additional wastewater treatment capacity to service the Employment Area. This Class EA was undertaken concurrently with the Schedule C Port Perry Water Supply Class Environmental Assessment which commenced in March 2010. The Port Perry urban area is supplied with drinking water provided by three existing wells, and also has a standpipe for water storage. Due to community growth and some aesthetic water quality issues, there is also a need to develop a long term supply of potable water as well as sufficient storage. To ensure coordination between water and wastewater planning, frequent updates of the Water Supply Class EA were provided during this wastewater Class EA. 2-2
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FIGURE 2‐2 Existing Wastewater Servicing in the Port Perry Urban Area 409001_WBG081712022237TOR
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2.2
Applicable Planning and Land Use Policies
2.2.1
Provincial Planning Frameworks
A number of planning and land use documents influenced the approach to providing additional wastewater treatment capacity for the Port Perry Urban Area. These include provincial, regional and local plans and policies which are described below. 2.2.1.1
Provincial Policy Statement
A Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) was released in 2005 to provide direction on matters related to land use planning and development, including the efficient use and management of land and infrastructure. The policies related to infrastructure include direction on the use of municipal and private wastewater services. 2.2.1.2
Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan)
The Province issued the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan) in 2006, which reduces development pressures on agricultural and natural lands by directing more growth to existing urban areas. This Growth Plan was developed under the Places to Grow Act (2005) which identifies and designates growth plan areas. Growth Plan sets out population, employment, and intensification targets for municipalities to the year 2031, as well as infrastructure polices that support the goals of the Growth Plan. One of the policies regarding wastewater systems encourages municipalities to design municipal servicing systems that return treated wastewater to the Great Lakes watershed from which the withdrawal of water originates. 2.2.1.3
The Greenbelt Plan (2005)
The Greenbelt Plan was released by the Province in 2005, which identifies areas where urbanization should not occur within the Greater Golden Horseshoe in order to protect agricultural and ecological features. A number of policies in the Greenbelt Plan influence the approach to servicing the Port Perry Urban Area, including the sewage infrastructure policies which limit the ability to extend Lake Ontario or Lake Simcoe based sewage services to the area. This Greenbelt Plan builds upon the existing policy framework established in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), and its implementation through municipal official plan policies and maps. Some of the potentially applicable policy stipulations are summarized below: Section 3.4.2 Town/Village Policies For lands within Town/Villages in the Protected Countryside, the following policies may be relevant in the context of the project: 
Municipalities are encouraged to continue their efforts to support the long‐term vitality of these settlements through appropriate planning and economic development approaches which seek to maintain, intensify and/or revitalize these communities. This includes modest growth that is compatible with the long‐term role of these settlements as part of the Protected Countryside and the capacity to provide locally based sewage and water services. 
Extensions or expansions of services to settlement areas within the Protected Countryside shall be subject to the infrastructure policies of Section 4.2 of this Plan, including the requirements regarding environmental assessments. Section 4.2.1 General Infrastructure Policies The location and construction of infrastructure and expansions, extensions, operations and maintenance of infrastructure in the Protected Countryside, are subject to the following: 
Planning, design and construction practices shall minimize, wherever possible, the amount of the Greenbelt, and particularly the Natural Heritage System, traversed and/or occupied by such infrastructure; 409001_WBG081712022237TOR
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
Where practicable, existing capacity and coordination with different infrastructure services is optimized so that the rural and existing character of the Protected Countryside and the overall urban structure for southern Ontario established by Greenbelt and any provincial growth management initiatives are supported and reinforced; 
New or expanding infrastructure shall avoid key natural heritage features or key hydrologic features unless need has been demonstrated and it has been established that there is no reasonable alternative; and 
Where infrastructure does cross the Natural Heritage System or intrude into or result in the loss of a key natural heritage feature or key hydrologic feature, including related landform features, planning, design and construction practices shall minimize negative impacts and disturbance on the features or their related functions, and where reasonable, maintain or improve connectivity. Section 4.2.2 Sewage and Water Infrastructure Policies In addition to the above general infrastructure policies and the settlement area policies of Section 3.4, the following policies apply to sewer and water infrastructure proposals: 1. Proposals for infrastructure within or crossing the Protected Countryside shall demonstrate that: a) Sewage and water servicing can be provided in a manner that does not negatively impact ecological features and functions, quality and quantity of ground and surface water, including stream baseflow, and is sufficient to accommodate the proposed use(s); b) Applicable recommendations, standards or targets within watershed plans and water budgets are reflected; and c) Any sewage and water servicing installation is planned, designed and constructed to minimize surface and groundwater disruption. 2. Where settlements do not currently have Great Lake or Lake Simcoe based water and sewage services, extensions to or expansions of existing Great Lake or Lake Simcoe based services to such settlements is not permitted, unless such servicing is required to address failed individual on‐site sewage or water services or to ensure the protection of public health where it has been determined by a medical officer of health (or health authority) that there is a public health concern associated with existing services within the settlement. The capacity of the services provided in the these circumstances will be restricted to that required to service the affected existing settlement plus the capacity for potential development within the approved settlement boundary as it existed on the date this Plan came into effect. 3. Where settlements currently have, or have approvals for, Great Lake based water and/or sewer services as of the date this Plan came into effect, such services may be extended and expanded to service growth within an approved settlement boundary as it existed on the date this Plan came into effect. Where only Great Lake water exists or has been approved, corresponding municipal sewage service shall be required in order for any expansion of the current settlement boundary where such expansion would be permitted by this Plan. 4. Where settlement area expansions are contemplated by a municipality, the environmental assessment in support of expanded sewage and water services must be completed or approved prior to amending the boundaries of the settlement within the municipal official plan. The expansion must not extend into the Natural Heritage System or the specialty crop area. 5. The extension of municipal or private communal sewage or water services outside of a settlement boundary shall only be permitted in the case of health issues or to service existing uses and the expansion thereof adjacent to the settlement. Notwithstanding the above, where municipal water services exist outside of settlements areas, existing uses within the service area boundary as defined by the environmental assessment may be connected to such a service. 2-6
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6. New or expanded partial servicing, where site conditions are suitable for the long‐term provision of such services, is only permitted in the following circumstances: a) Where such servicing is necessary to address failed individual on‐site sewage or water services serving existing development; or b) To allow for infilling and intensification within settlement areas served by partial services as of the date this Plan came into effect. 7. In the siting of new municipal and other wells, consideration shall be given to the location of vulnerable areas. 2.2.1.4
Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (2002)
The Oak Ridges Moraine crosses Durham Region just south of the Port Perry Urban Area, and acts to divide the local watersheds draining into Lake Scugog from those draining into Lake Ontario. The Province issued the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) in April 2002 in order to protect this ecologically significant landform. The ORMCP includes policies related to the crossing of the moraine by utilities, including wastewater systems. The intent of the ORMCP is that sewage and water system plans should be developed with consideration of the ecological integrity of hydrological features and key natural heritage features. 2.2.2
2.2.2.1
Local and Regional Planning Frameworks
Township of Scugog Official Plan
The Township of Scugog initiated a review of its Official Plan in January 2007, and a new Official Plan was subsequently adopted by Township Council in June 2009. The new Plan establishes goals, objectives and policies to guide growth and development in the Township to the year 2031. The population and employment forecasts in the new Scugog Official Plan are consistent with the objectives of the Growth Plan, Growing Durham and ROPA No. 128; therefore, the Official Plan envisions moderate growth within the Port Perry Urban Area. The new Official Plan also includes the long‐term goal of servicing all of the Port Perry Urban Area with municipal wastewater systems, in particular the large Employment Area in the western portion of the Port Perry Urban Area as well as the existing small lots within the former hamlet of Prince Albert. Limited infilling on private wastewater services is permitted under the Plan, subject to a number of conditions including the requirement of future connection to the municipal wastewater system. The new Official Plan recognizes that additional wastewater treatment capacity will be required for the Port Perry Urban Area if the objectives of the Scugog Official Plan are to be realized. Under the Planning Act, the Region of Durham is the approval authority for the new Scugog Official Plan, and Regional Council approved the Plan in March 2010 (with some modifications and deferrals that do not preclude the need for additional wastewater treatment capacity). The Scugog Official Plan is available on the Township of Scugog website via the Planning Department page (www.township.scugog.on.ca). 2.2.2.2
Durham Regional Official Plan (2008)
The Durham Regional Official Plan (ROP) establishes goals, policies, and guidelines to guide development and land uses within the Region. A Review of the ROP was initiated by the Region in April of 2000, which resulted in the issue of an Office Consolidation Copy of the ROP in June 2008. The ROP designates Living Areas and Employment Areas within Port Perry, as well as designates specific areas that are developable on private wastewater systems. The ROP also includes wastewater servicing policies that support the long‐term goals of the Region, including strategic oversizing of key wastewater system components to accommodate growth in the Region beyond the ROP planning period. The plan designates Port Perry as a small urban area and a Regional Centre with Living Areas and Employment Areas within Port Perry. The ROP also designates specific areas that are developable on private wastewater systems. This plan also includes wastewater servicing policies that support the long‐term goals of the Region, including strategic oversizing of key wastewater system components to accommodate growth in the Region beyond the ROP planning period. 409001_WBG081712022237TOR
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2.2.2.3
Regional Official Plan Amendment No. 128
The recommended growth scenario and policy directions from the Growing Durham study formed the basis for Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) No. 128, which was adopted by Durham Region Council in June 2009. Under ROPA No. 128, the residential population of the Port Perry Urban Area is forecast to increase by approximately 1,740 persons over the next 20 years, resulting in a population of approximately 11,880 persons by the year 2031. (Although the Growing Durham study forecast that 2,225 new residential units would be constructed by 2031, the population increase over that period is only 1,740 persons due to a declining trend in the number of persons per household). In addition, policy provisions in ROPA No. 128 clarified that the Region is not required to provide municipal services if servicing constraints cannot be resolved in a cost effective manner. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) is the approval authority for ROPA No. 128, and in March 2010 the MMAH issued a draft decision on ROPA No. 128. On October 27, 2010, the MMAH issued its final decision on ROPA No. 128. This decision does not impede the moderate growth forecast for the Port Perry urban population. ROPA No. 128 and the MMAH decision are available on the Region of Durham website via the Planning Department page (www.durham.ca). 2.2.2.4
Growing Durham
To complete the growth management component of the above‐noted ROP Review, the Region implemented the “Growing Durham” study in August 2007. The primary objective of the Growing Durham study was to bring the ROP into conformity with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, including the population and employment forecasts to the year 2031. The Growing Durham study recognized that servicing constraints were inhibiting growth within Durham’s northern communities, including the lack of treatment capacity at the Nonquon River WPCP. However, Growing Durham allocated growth to the northern municipalities, including the Port Perry Urban Area, based on the premise that the servicing constraints could be resolved. The forecast growth for the constrained areas would be held in reserve until servicing became available. The recommended growth scenario that was developed through the Growing Durham study was endorsed by Planning Committee in November 2008. This scenario forecast that approximately 2,225 new residential units would be constructed within the Port Perry Urban Area over the next 20 years if municipal servicing were available. 2.2.2.5
Septage Management Strategy (2005)
The Region of Durham currently receives septage at five water pollution control plants, all of which are located on Lake Ontario. Therefore, septage from the northern areas of the Region must be hauled a considerable distance for disposal at a Lake‐Ontario based WPCP. A local septage receiving station that could service the northern areas of Durham Region would be more convenient for septage haulers. Durham Region completed a Septage Management Strategy in 2005, which recommended the construction of a septage receiving station at the Lake Simcoe WPCP in Beaverton to service the northern areas of the Region. A design was subsequently prepared for the septage receiving station; however, the facility has not been constructed due to funding limitations. The Region’s current capital forecast allocates funding for construction in the year 2014, subject to Council approval. During the development of the Septage Management Strategy, the Nonquon River WPCP was initially ruled out as a potential location for a septage receiving station due to the limitations of the stabilization pond (lagoon) treatment process. As the recommended septage receiving station has yet to be constructed at the Lake Simcoe WPCP, an evaluation of the feasibility of providing a septage receiving station at an upgraded Nonquon River WPCP was conducted under this Class EA. 2.3
The Nonquon River Water Pollution Control Plant
Background
A Schedule C Class EA was completed in 1995 to increase treatment capacity and the plant was expanded to 3,870 cubic metres per day (m3/day) in 2000 based on the findings of the 1995 Class EA, and an addendum to the EA issued in 1998 to phase plant expansion. Since that time, the Region of Durham has completed numerous 2-8
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studies to assess Nonquon River WPCP effluent quality. Below is a description of the studies conducted for the most recent expansion of the Nonquon River WPCP. 2.3.1
Environmental Study Report: Expansion of Sewage Treatment Capacity in
the Township of Scugog (Port Perry) (MacViro, 1995)
A Schedule C Class EA was completed in May 1995 to provide additional wastewater treatment capacity for the Port Perry Urban Area. A number of options were identified and assessed: 




Expand lagoons on existing and/or new site Provide new treatment plant on existing and/or new site Provide new treatment plant with seasonal storage on existing and/or new site Convey wastewater to another sewage treatment system Do nothing Based on the assessment, which included consultation with stakeholders, and approval from Durham Region Council, the recommendation was to upgrade and expand the treatment plant on the existing Nonquon River WPCP site to 4,550 m3/day by implementing aerated cells, increasing stabilization pond (lagoon) volume, employing chemical addition and effluent filtration for phosphorus removal. Ultraviolet (UV) lamps for effluent disinfection, and chemical oxidation, such as breakpoint chlorination for ammonia removal, were also recommended if required. 2.3.2
Preliminary Design Report Nonquon River WPCP (MacViro, April 1997)
The preliminary design report provides details on the preferred design concepts from the 1995 ESR. The preliminary design recommended: 
Aerated cells designed for an average flow of 6,825 m3/day 
Seasonal retention ponds designed for an average flow of 4,550 m3/day 
Chemical addition for phosphorus reduction 
Effluent filtration designed for the maximum required discharge rate to the Nonquon River of 12,512 m3/day 
The total cost of expansion was estimated at $8.2 million 2.3.3
Addendum to 1995 EA (1998)
2.3.4
Recent WPCP Expansion
Given the magnitude of the project, the Region decided that the full scope of the expansion as outlined in the EA (1995) and Preliminary Design Report (1997) should not be implemented at one time, but phased as appropriate to meet budget constraints. An Addendum to the ESR was therefore issued in November 1998. It recommended splitting the proposed expansion into two phases. The first phase was completed and commissioned in 2000. It increased the rated capacity of the WPCP to 3,870 m3/day. The second phase was not implemented due to ammonia removal limitations. The current rated capacity of the Nonquon River WPCP is 3,870 m3/day, with treated effluent discharged to the Nonquon River on a seasonal basis. The term “seasonal basis” means that effluent is only discharged during periods when the Nonquon River has sufficient flow to readily assimilate the effluent, and the rate of effluent discharge is harmonized with the rate of flow in the river. The Nonquon River has limitations with respect to ammonia, phosphorous, and dissolved oxygen. Background bacteria levels are also elevated in the Nonquon River. Therefore, the existing water quality of the Nonquon River must be considered when developing any future effluent quality requirements. 409001_WBG081712022237TOR
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2.4
Purpose of the Current Class EA Study
The Regional Municipality of Durham provides wastewater treatment services to residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial users within the Port Perry Urban Area. As a result of provincial and regional growth directives and objectives, additional wastewater treatment is required to accommodate a moderate growth forecast. Wastewater treatment demands have been estimated based on population forecasts from the Durham Regional Official Plan for the Port Perry Urban Area, and the Septage Management Strategy (2005). Consideration has also been given to the potential impact of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, implemented under the Places to Grow Act. Therefore, The Regional Municipality of Durham implemented a Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment to identify the preferred solution for providing additional wastewater treatment capacity to service the Port Perry Urban Area. The Region committed to practicing environmental stewardship, meaningful stakeholder and public engagement, fiscal responsibility, and technical excellence to complete this Schedule C Class EA. The Problem/Opportunity Statement for the Class EA was as follows: In support of the moderate growth forecasts in the Region of Durham and Township of Scugog Official Plans, the Region is undertaking this Schedule C Class Environmental Assessment to plan for additional wastewater treatment capacity to service the Port Perry Urban Area. The objectives of this Class EA study are to: 
Strive to plan sufficient capacity to support the long‐term goal of servicing all of the Port Perry Urban Area with municipal wastewater systems, including the areas currently serviced by private wastewater systems 
Address any issues regarding effluent discharge from the existing Nonquon River WPCP 
Evaluate the feasibility of providing a septage receiving station in conjunction with additional wastewater treatment capacity. The scope of this Class EA study was planning for wastewater treatment capacity. Any sewers or pumping stations required to extend the wastewater collection system will be planned under future, separate studies. 2-10
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