Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (SOR/2012-139)

Marginal note:Default measurement

• 8 (1) If the average daily volume of effluent deposited via the final discharge point of a wastewater system for a previous calendar year cannot be determined under paragraph 7(2)(a) or (b), as the case may be, that average daily volume must be determined on the basis of the system’s average design rate of flow of influent.

• Marginal note:One-time use of default measurement

  (2) If subsection (1) has been applied in respect of a wastewater system for a calendar year, it is not to be applied in respect of the wastewater system for any subsequent calendar year.

Monitoring

Monitoring Equipment

Marginal note:Requirements

• 9 (1) The owner or operator of a continuous wastewater system must — by January 1, 2013 — have installed monitoring equipment that provides

  • (a) a continuous measure of the volume of influent or effluent, if, during the previous calendar year, the average daily volume of effluent deposited via the system’s final discharge point determined in accordance with section 7 or 8, as the case may be, was more than 2 500 m³; and

  • (b) either a continuous measure of the volume of the influent or effluent or a measure of the rate of flow of the influent or effluent, if, during the previous calendar year, the average daily volume of effluent deposited via the system’s final discharge point determined in accordance with section 7 or 8, as the case may be, was 2 500 m³ or less.

• Marginal note:Maintenance and calibration

  (2) The owner or operator of a wastewater system who has installed monitoring equipment must maintain and calibrate that equipment so that it may be used to determine the volume of effluent deposited via the final discharge point in accordance with, as the case may be, subparagraph 7(2)(a)(i) or paragraph 7(2)(b).

• Marginal note:Frequency of calibration

  (3) The owner or operator must calibrate the monitoring equipment at least once in every calendar year and at least five months after a previous calibration.

• Marginal note:Accuracy

  (4) The monitoring equipment must determine the volume or rate of flow with a margin of error of ±15%.

Composition of the Effluent

Marginal note:Taking of samples — intermittent wastewater system

• 10 (1) The owner or operator of an intermittent wastewater system must, during each period referred to in paragraph 3(a), take at the system’s final discharge point a grab or composite sample of effluent at the following minimum frequency:

  • (a) if the period is more than 30 days, every two weeks but at least seven days after any other sample; and

  • (b) in any other case, once.

• Marginal note:Taking of samples — continuous wastewater system

  (2) The owner or operator of a continuous wastewater system that — during the previous calendar year in respect of the calendar year, quarter or month in question — deposited via the system’s final discharge point an average daily volume of effluent set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection must, for that calendar year, quarter or month, take at the final discharge point a sample of effluent of the type set out in column 2 at the minimum frequency set out in column 3.

  Item	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
  	Average Daily Volume Deposited Annually (m3)	Type of Sample to be Taken	Minimum Sampling Frequency
  1	≤ 2 500	Grab or composite	Monthly but at least 10 days after any other sample
  2	> 2 500 and ≤ 17 500	Composite	Every two weeks but at least seven days after any other sample
  3	> 17 500 and ≤ 50 000	Composite	Weekly but at least five days after any other sample
  4	> 50 000	Composite	Three days per week but at least one day after any other sample

• Marginal note:Sampling and frequency for certain continuous systems

  (3) Despite subsection (2), the owner or operator of a continuous wastewater system with a hydraulic retention time of five or more days must

  • (a) take a grab or composite sample; and

  • (b) reduce the minimum sampling frequency to quarterly, but at least 60 days after any other sample was taken, if the system deposited via its final discharge point an average daily volume of less than or equal to 2500 m³ of effluent during the previous calendar year referred to in subsection (2).

• Marginal note:Determination of certain deleterious substances

  (4) The owner or operator must, for each sample taken under subsection (1), (2) or (3), determine, or cause the determination of

  • (a) the carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand due to the quantity of CBOD matter in the effluent, in accordance with section 12; and

  • (b) the concentration of suspended solids in the effluent, in accordance with section 13.

• Marginal note:Before July 1, 2014 — additional determination

  (5) Until July 1, 2014, the owner or operator must, for each sample taken under subsection (1), (2) or (3), determine, or cause the determination of, the concentration of un-ionized ammonia in the effluent, in accordance with the formula and a test method referred to in section 14.

Acute Lethality Testing

Marginal note:Taking samples

• 11 (1) The owner or operator of a wastewater system that — during the previous calendar year in respect of the calendar year, quarter or month in question — deposited via the system’s final discharge point an average daily volume of effluent set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection must, for that calendar year, quarter or month, take at the final discharge point a grab sample of effluent at the minimum frequency set out in column 2.

  Item	Column 1	Column 2
  	Average Daily Volume Deposited Annually (m3)	Minimum Sampling Frequency
  1	> 2 500 and ≤ 50 000	Quarterly but at least 60 days after any other sample
  2	> 50 000	Monthly but at least 21 days after any other sample

• Marginal note:Acute lethality

  (2) The owner or operator must, for each sample taken under subsection (1), determine, or cause the determination of, whether or not it is acutely lethal in accordance with section 15.

• Marginal note:Additional test

  (3) If a sample is determined to be acutely lethal in accordance with section 15, the owner or operator must take a grab sample twice a month, but at least seven days after any previous sample, and determine, or cause the determination of, whether or not it is acutely lethal in accordance with section 15.

• Marginal note:Consecutive samples — not acutely lethal

  (4) If three consecutive samples are, under subsection (3), determined not to be acutely lethal, subsections (1) and (2) apply to subsequent samples.

• Marginal note:Subsequent samples

  (5) For greater certainty, subsection (3) applies to any subsequent sample referred to in subsection (4) that is determined to be acutely lethal when tested under subsection (2).

• Marginal note:Change in sampling frequency

  (6) The minimum sampling frequency set out in column 2 of the table to subsection (1) is reduced

  • (a) for item 1, to yearly, but at least six months after any other sample, if samples were taken under subsection (1) for each of four consecutive quarters and those samples were tested under subsection (2) and determined not to be acutely lethal; and

  • (b) for item 2, to quarterly, but at least 60 days after any other sample, if samples were taken under subsection (1) for each of 12 consecutive months and those samples were tested under subsection (2) and determined not to be acutely lethal.