Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations

Marginal note:Authorization to deposit

• 6 (1) For the purpose of paragraph 36(4)(b) of the Act, the owner or operator of a wastewater system may — during a given calendar year, quarter or month, as determined in accordance with subsection (2) — deposit or permit the deposit of effluent that contains any of the deleterious substances prescribed in section 5 of these Regulations via each of the system’s final discharge points in any water or place referred to in subsection 36(3) of the Act if the effluent is not acutely lethal as determined in accordance with section 15, the maximum concentration of un-ionized ammonia in the effluent is less than 1.25 mg/L, expressed as nitrogen (N), at 15˚C ± 1˚C, and — during the previous calendar year, previous quarter or previous month, as the case may be — the effluent met the following conditions:

  • (a) the average carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand due to the quantity of CBOD matter in the effluent did not exceed 25 mg/L;

  • (b) the average concentration of suspended solids in the effluent did not exceed 25 mg/L; and

  • (c) the average concentration of total residual chlorine in the effluent did not exceed 0.02 mg/L, if chlorine, or one of its compounds, was used in the treatment of wastewater.

  • (d) [Repealed, SOR/2024-97, s. 4]

• Marginal note:Averaging periods

  (2) The maximum concentration and the averages referred to in subsection (1) must be determined on the following basis:

  • (a) each calendar year, if the average daily volume of effluent deposited via all of the final discharge points during the previous calendar year was

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

    • (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;

  • (b) each quarter, if the average daily volume of effluent deposited via all of the final discharge points during the previous calendar year was

    • (i) greater than 2 500 m³ and less than or equal to 17 500 m³, for a continuous wastewater system with a hydraulic retention time of five or more days, and

    • (ii) less than or equal to 17 500 m³, for any other continuous wastewater system; and

  • (c) each month, if the average daily volume of effluent deposited via all of the final discharge points during the previous calendar year was greater than 17 500 m³.

• Marginal note:Determination of averages

  (3) The averages referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) must be determined

  • (a) for an intermittent wastewater system, based on samples of effluent referred to in subsection 10(1) and, if applicable, subsection 10(2), in accordance with subsection 10(6); and

  • (b) for a continuous wastewater system, based on samples of effluent referred to in, as the case may be, subsection 10(3) or (4), in accordance with subsection 10(6).

• Marginal note:Determinations for additional samples

  (4) The determination of averages made in accordance with subsection (3) must take into account the results of the determination, by a laboratory referred to in section 16, of the elements referred to in subsection 10(6) for any sample in excess of the number of samples required by subsections 10(1) to (4).

• Marginal note:Average of SS during certain months

  (5) For an intermittent wastewater system or a continuous wastewater system with a hydraulic retention time of five or more days, the determination of the average referred to in paragraph (1)(b) is not to take into account the result of any determination of the concentration of suspended solids in a sample of effluent referred to in paragraph 10(6)(b) that was taken during any four months during the period beginning on May 1 and ending on November 30, if that result is greater than 25 mg/L and is caused by a bloom of algae or proliferation of aquatic invertebrates.

• Marginal note:SS average deemed 0 mg/L

  (6) If subsection (5) applies to every sample referred to in paragraph (3)(a) or (b) that is used to determine the average referred to in paragraph (1)(b), that average is deemed to be 0 mg/L.

• Marginal note:Conditions

  (7) The authorization granted to an owner or operator under subsection (1) is conditional on the owner or operator

  • (a) determining the average daily volume of effluent deposited annually via the final discharge point in accordance with section 7;

  • (b) for an intermittent wastewater system, either installing, maintaining and calibrating the monitoring equipment referred to in subparagraph 7(2)(a)(i) or establishing a method of estimation referred to in subparagraph 7(2)(a)(ii) and applying and updating it in accordance with subsection 7(4);

  • (c) for a continuous wastewater system, either installing, maintaining and calibrating the monitoring equipment referred to in subparagraph 7(2)(b)(i) or establishing a method of estimation referred to in subparagraph 7(2)(b)(ii) and applying and updating it in accordance with subsection 7(4);

  • (d) monitoring effluent in accordance with sections 10 and 11 and sending a monitoring report in accordance with section 19;

  • (e) keeping the record required under section 17;

  • (f) sending an identification report in accordance with section 18;

  • (g) sending the overflow report, if applicable, required under section 20 in accordance with subsections 19(4) and (5); and

  • (h) installing, operating and maintaining a dechlorination system – if chlorine, or one of its compounds, is being used in the treatment of wastewater – so that the concentration of total residual chlorine in a grab sample of effluent does not exceed 0.10 mg/L when measured using a total residual chlorine instrument or test in accordance with standards of good scientific practice that are generally accepted at the time of the sampling.