|
 |
Back to Main Page
4 Conclusion
Municipal wastewater effluents remain one of the most common contributors to a variety of local water pollution problems in many parts of the country. Beach closures, restrictions on shellfish harvesting, and degraded aquatic habitats that support fewer species are the most obvious of these problems, but the presence of persistent, bioaccumulative substances in municipal wastewater may also be contributing to other problems on a wider scale that may not immediately be apparent.
To remedy these problems and to diminish the overall impact of municipal wastewater effluents on
the environment, Canadians need to devote more effort and resources to wastewater management
and the improvement of our wastewater treatment capabilities. In the first instance, this means
bringing wastewater treatment to areas that do not at present have such facilities and improving
existing facilities where they are not providing an adequate level of treatment. In many older
communities, however, the reduction or elimination of CSOs is the most pressing priority, and in
virtually every part of the country, better management of stormwater is essential. While the
improvement of treatment facilities will play an important role in achieving these objectives, it is
also important to look beyond end-of-pipe controls and implement other solutions, such as water
conservation and metering or urban planning arrangements that provide better management of
surface runoff. Not only will these measures lessen the impact of municipal wastewater effluents on the environment, but they will also reduce the cost of the impact.
References
Alberta Environmental Protection. 1996. Northern River Basins Study: Report to the Ministers. 287 pp.
Anderson, B.C. and L.-K. Quartermaine. 1998. Tastes and odours in Kingston’s municipal drinking
water: a case study of the problem and appropriate solutions. Journal of Great Lakes
Research 24(4):859–867.
Anderson, D.M. 1994. Red tides. Scientific American 227:62–68.
Beland, P. 1996. The beluga whales of the St. Lawrence River. Scientific American 274(5):74–81.
Beland, P., S. DeGuise, C. Girard, A. Legace, D. Martineau, R. Michaud, D.C.G. Muir, R.J. Norstrom,
E. Pelletier, S. Ray, and L.R. Shugart. 1993. Toxic compounds and health and reproductive
effects in St. Lawrence beluga whales. Journal of Great Lakes Research 19(4):766–775.
Birtwell, I.K. 1996. Studies on fish in relation to the discharge of effluent from the Iona Island
sewage treatment plant, with particular reference to Sturgeon Bank: An historical
perspective. Seminar hosted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada:
Presentation of new information on the aquatic environment of Sturgeon Bank, Fraser River
estuary. 4 pp.
Borchardt, D. and B. Statzner. 1990. Ecological impact of urban stormwater runoff studied in
experimental flumes: population loss by drift and availability of refugial space. Aquatic
Sciences 52:299–314.
Chambers, P.A. and T. Mills. 1996. Dissolved oxygen conditions and fish requirements in the
Athabasca, Peace and Slave rivers: assessment of present conditions and future trends.
Northern River Basins Study Synthesis Report No. 5. Environment Canada and Alberta
Environmental Protection, Edmonton, Alberta.
Chambers, P.A., M. Allard, S.L. Walker, J. Marsalek, J. Lawrence, M. Servos, J. Busnarda, K.S.
Munger, K. Adare, C. Jefferson, R.A. Kent, and M.P. Wong. 1997. Impacts of municipal
wastewater effluents on Canadian waters: a review. Water Quality Research Journal of
Canada 32(4):659–713.
Chambers, P.A., M. Guy, E. Roberts, M. Charlton, R. Kent, C. Gagnon, G. Grove, and N. Foster.
2001. Nutrients and their impact on the Canadian environment — In press. Government
of Canada.
CUM (Communauté urbaine de Montréal). 1994. Analyse de la qualité des eaux brutes et de l’eau
traitée à la station d’épuration et évaluation du rendement des installations.
Env/94.10.06/P2.A. Service de l’environnement, Communauté urbaine de Montréal,
Montréal, Québec.
CWWA (Canadian Water and Wastewater Association). 2000. Directory of sources of contaminants
entering municipal sewer systems. 1st edition. 157 pp. + appendices.
Dolan, D.M., K.P. McGunagle, S. Perry, and E. Voldner. 1993. Source investigation for Lake
Superior. International Joint Commission, Windsor, Ontario.
Droste, R.L. 1997. Theory and practice of water and wastewater treatment. John Wiley and Sons,
New York, N.Y. 800 pp.
Edsall, T. and M.N. Charlton. 1997. Nearshore waters of the Great Lakes. Background paper, State
of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference 1996. 139 pp. + appendices.
Ellis, J.B. and J. Marsalek. 1996. Overview of urban drainage: environmental impacts and concerns,
means of mitigation and implementation policies. Journal of Hydraulic Research
34(6):723–731.
Environment Canada. 1993. Water works! Freshwater Series A-4. Ottawa, Ontario.
Environment Canada. 1994. Urban water: Municipal water use and wastewater treatment. National
Environmental Indicator Series. SOE Bulletin 94-1. State of the Environment Reporting
Program, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Environment Canada. 1997. Review of the impacts of municipal wastewater effluents on Canadian
waters and human health. Ecosystem Science Directorate, Environmental Conservation
Service, Environment Canada. Prepared for the Canadian Council of Ministers of the
Environment.
Environment Canada. 1998a. Fraser River Action Plan: Urban issues. En37-99/1998E-3.
Environment Canada, Pacific and Yukon Region. 40 pp.
Environment Canada. 1998b. Urban water: Municipal water use and wastewater treatment.
National Environmental Indicator Series. SOE Bulletin 98-4. State of the Environment
Reporting Program, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Environment Canada. 1998c. The state of the St. Lawrence River: The contribution of urban
activities to the deterioration of the St. Lawrence River. Environment Canada, Quebec
Region. 15 pp.
Environment Canada. 1999a. Summary and update of the 1997 science assessment of the impacts
of municipal wastewater effluents (MWWE) on Canadian waters and human health. 6 pp.
(unpublished).
Environment Canada. 1999b. Municipal water use database (MUD). Ottawa, Ontario. Available
upon request.
Environment Canada. 1999c. State of the Great Lakes 1999. Environment Canada and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. 68 pp. + appendices.
Environment Canada. 1999d. Shellfish water quality protection program on the west coast of
Canada. Environment Canada, Pacific and Yukon Region. 5 pp.
Environment Canada. 1999e. Recommandation de classification. Shellfish Water Quality Protection
Program, Environment Canada, Quebec Region.
Environment Canada. 1999f. Endocrine disrupting substances in the environment. Environment
Canada fact sheet. 5 pp.
Environment Canada. 2000. Canadian Environmental Protection Act Priority Substances List
assessment report: ammonia in the aquatic environment. Environment Canada and Health
Canada. 100 pp. + appendices.
FCEMS WWWG (Federal Committee on Environmental Management Systems Wastewater Working
Group). 2000. Proposed approach for wastewater effluent quality framework and guidelines
for federal facilities — final report. Guidelines and Standards Office, Environmental Quality
Branch, Environment Canada.
Geldreich, E.E. 1978. Bacterial populations and indicator concepts in feces, sewage, stormwater
and solid wastes. In: G. Berg (ed.), Indicators of viruses in water and food. Ann Arbor
Science Publishers, Ann Arbor, Michigan. pp. 51–97.
Gobas, F.A.P.C. and X. Zhang. 1994. Interactions of organic chemicals with particulate and
dissolved organic matter in the aquatic environment. In: J.L. Hamelink, P.F. Landrum,
H.L. Bergman, and W.H. Benson (eds.), Bioavailability: Physical, chemical and biological
interactions. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida. pp. 83–91.
Government of Canada. 1996. The state of Canada’s environment – 1996. Ministry of Supply and
Services (Catalogue No. EN21-54/1996E).
Government of Manitoba. 1997. State of the environment report for Manitoba: Moving toward
sustainable development reporting. Manitoba Environment.
Hall, K.J., D.W. McCallum, K. Lee, and R. Macdonald. 1998a. Characterization and aquatic impacts
of combined sewer overflows in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia. Water Science and
Technology 38(10):9–14.
Hall, K.J., G.A. Larkin, R.H. Macdonald, and H. Schreier. 1998b. Water pollution from urban
stormwater runoff in the Brunette River watershed, B.C. Report No. 23. Fraser River Action
Plan, Environment Canada. 21 pp.
Hamelink, J.L., P.F. Landrum, H.L. Bergman, and W.H. Benson (eds.). 1994. Bioavailability: Physical,
chemical and biological interactions. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida.
Harremoes, P. 1988. Stochastic models for estimation of extreme pollution from urban runoff.
Water Research 22:1017–1026.
Health and Welfare Canada. 1992. Guidelines for Canadian recreational water quality. Ottawa,
Ontario.
Health Canada. 1997. Health and environment — Partners for life. Ottawa, Ontario. 208 pp.
Health Canada. 1998. Protozoa in drinking water. Guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality
supporting documentation. Federal–Provincial Subcommittee on Drinking Water. 31 pp. +
appendices.
Horner, R.R., J.J. Skupien, E.H. Livingston, and H.E. Shaver. 1994. Fundamentals of urban runoff
management: technical and institutional issues. Terrene Institute, Washington, D.C.
HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality). 1999a. The Halifax Harbour Solutions Project: Sewage
treatment for Halifax Harbour. Halifax, Nova Scotia.
HRM (Halifax Regional Municipality). 1999b. The Halifax Harbour Solutions Project provision of
sewage treatment: Project description for consideration under the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act (CEAA) coordination regulations. Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax,
Nova Scotia.
Hvitved-Jacobsen, T. 1982. The impact of combined sewer overflows on the dissolved oxygen
concentration of a river. Water Research 16:1099–1105.
Hvitved-Jacobsen, T. 1986. Conventional pollutant impacts on receiving waters. In: H.C.
Torno, J. Marsalek, and M. Desbordes (eds.), Urban runoff pollution. Series G: Ecological
Sciences, Vol. 10. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. pp. 345–378.
Inglis, A. and E.L. Davis. 1972. Effects of water hardness on the toxicity of several organic and
inorganic herbicides to fish. Technical Paper 67. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of the Interior, Washington, D.C. [cited in Hamelink et al. 1994].
Kok, S., P. Seto, and D. Wetherbe. The urban drainage program of the Great Lakes 2000 Cleanup
Fund. Water Quality Research Journal of Canada 35(3):315–330.
Lijklema, L., J.M. Tyson, and A. Lesouf. 1993. Interactions between sewers, treatment plants and
receiving waters in urban areas: a summary of the INTERURBA ‘92 workshop conclusions.
Water Science and Technology 27:1–29.
Makepeace, D.K., D.W. Smith, and S.J. Stanley. 1995. Urban stormwater quality: summary of
contaminant data. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 25:93–139.
Marsalek, J. Unpublished data. National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario.
Marsalek, J. 2000. Management of urban wet-weather flow pollution in Canada. National Water
Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario (manuscript in review).
Marsalek, J. and H.O. Schroeter. 1988. Annual loadings of toxic contaminants in urban runoff from
the Canadian Great Lakes basin. Water Pollution Research Journal of Canada 23:360–378.
Marsalek, J., W.E. Watt, and D. Henry. 1992. Retrofitting stormwater ponds for water quality
control. Water Pollution Research Journal of Canada 27:403–422.
Marsalek, J., Q. Rochfort, B. Brownlee, T. Mayer, and M. Servos. 1999. An exploratory study of
urban runoff toxicity. Water Science and Technology 39(12):33–39.
Mayer, F.L., Jr. and M.R. Ellersieck. 1988. Experiences with single-species tests for acute toxic effects
in freshwater animals. Ambio 17:367–375 [cited in Hamelink et al. 1994].
Mayer, F.L., Jr., L.L. Marking, T.D. Bills, and G.E. Howe. 1994. Physicochemical factors affecting
toxicity in freshwater: Hardness, pH and temperature. In: J.L. Hamelink, P.F. Landrum,
H.L. Bergman, and W.H. Benson (eds.), Bioavailability: Physical, chemical and biological
interactions. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida. pp. 5–22.
Menon, A.S. 1988. Molluscan shellfish and water quality problems in Atlantic Canada. Toxicity
Assessment 3:679–686.
Menon, A.S. 2000. Personal communication. Environmental Protection, Environment Canada,
Atlantic Region.
Nantel, M. 1995. Sewage treatment and disposal in Quebec: Environmental effects. Environment
Probe Foundation, EV-532. 36 pp.
Nantel, M. 1996. Municipal wastewater pollution in British Columbia. Environment Probe
Foundation, EV-536. 34 pp.
Nelson, H. 1994. Fecal coliform contamination in Georgia Strait. Shellfish and Aquaculture
Program, Environment Canada, Pacific and Yukon Region, Vancouver, B.C.
NRTEE (National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy). 1996. State of the debate on
the environment and the economy: Water and wastewater services in Canada. 39 pp.
OMOE (Ontario Ministry of the Environment). 1988. Thirty seven municipal water pollution control
plants: Pilot monitoring study. Vol. 1. Interim report. Prepared by Canviro Consultants for
the Water Resources Branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 97 pp.
OMOE (Ontario Ministry of the Environment). 1990. Review of aquatic toxicity and environmental
impact of Ontario sewage treatment plant effluents — January 1990. Prepared by Beak
Consultants Ltd. for the Industrial Programs Branch of Environment Canada and the Water
Resources Branch of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
OMOE (Ontario Ministry of the Environment). 1993. Report on the 1991 discharges from
municipal sewage treatment plants in Ontario. Vol. 1. Summary of performance and
compliance. 81 pp.
OMOE (Ontario Ministry of the Environment). 1999. 1999–2000 guide to eating Ontario sport
fish. 113 pp.
Percy, J.A. 1996. Farming Fundy’s fisheries: aquaculture in the Bay of Fundy. Bay of Fundy
Ecosystem Project. Fundy Issues, No. 7. 5 pp.
Pickering, Q.H. and C. Henderson. 1964. Acute toxicity of some important petrochemicals to fish.
Journal of the Water Pollution Control Federation 35:1419–1429 [cited in Hamelink et al.
1994].
Schroeter, H.O. 1997. Toxic contaminant loadings from municipal sources in Ontario Areas of
Concern. Water Quality Research Journal of Canada 32(1):7–22.
Schueler, T.R. 1987. Controlling urban runoff: a practical manual for planning and designing urban
BMPs. Washington Metropolitan Water Resources Planning Board, Washington, D.C.
Statistics Canada. 1997. Linking the environment and the economy: Indicators and detailed
statistics. Econnections, Statistics Canada (Catalogue No. 16-200-XKE).
Statistics Canada. 2000. Human activity and the environment. 332 pp.
Thompson, S. 1992. Estimating loadings of eighteen persistent toxics to Lake Ontario.
Conservation and Protection, Environment Canada, Ontario Region.
Waller, D.H. 1969. Combined sewers in Canada. Engineering Journal 52:22–30.
Waller, D.H. and Z. Novak. 1981. Municipal pollutant loadings to the Great Lakes from Ontario
communities. Research Report No. 94. Canada–Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water
Quality, Department of the Environment, Ottawa, Ontario.
Welch, E.B. 1992. Ecological effects of wastewater: Applied limnology and pollutant effects. 2nd
edition. Chapman and Hall, New York, N.Y. 425 pp.
Wigle, D.T. 1998. Safe drinking water: a public health challenge. Chronic Diseases in Canada
19(3):1–8.
Wilson, S.J. 2000a. The GPI water quality accounts: Nova Scotia’s water resource values and the
damage costs of declining water resources and water quality. GPI Atlantic. 178 pp.
Wilson, S.J. 2000b. The GPI water quality accounts: The costs and benefits of sewage treatment
and source control for Halifax Harbour. GPI Atlantic. 63 pp.
Yukon Department of Renewable Resources and Environment Canada. 1996. Yukon state of the
environment report 1995.
Glossary
“A”
Accumulation |
The storage and concentration of chemicals in aquatic sediments to levels above those present in the water. (see also Bioaccumulation) |
| Acute toxicity | A harmful effect that is produced during a short exposure period, usually 24–96 hours. |
| Aerobic | An environment where oxygen is present or a process that uses oxygen. |
| Ammonia (NH3) | A chemical combination of nitrogen and hydrogen that occurs extensively
in nature. It is a water-soluble gas that behaves as a weak base. It can exert
toxic effects on aquatic life. |
| Ammonium (NH4+) | The protonated form and conjugate acid of ammonia. It predominates under low-pH conditions. |
| Anaerobic | An environment where oxygen is absent or a process that does not use oxygen. |
“B”
Bioaccumulation |
The uptake and retention of chemical substances by plants and animals from both their environment and their food. |
| Bioavailability | For a given chemical, it is the portion of the total amount existing in the surrounding environs (e.g., water, sediment) that is available for uptake by plants and animals. |
| Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) | A measure of the quantity of oxygen (in milligrams per litre) taken up in the
biochemical oxidation of organic matter in the dark, in a specified time,
and at a specified temperature. |
| Biomagnification | A cumulative increase in the concentrations of a persistent substance in
successively higher levels of the food chain. |
“C”
Chlorination |
The application of chlorine or chlorine compounds to drinking water or wastewater, generally for the purpose of disinfection, but also to oxidize
undesirable compounds or control odour. |
| Chronic toxicity | An adverse effect that is produced during a prolonged exposure period, usually greater than 96 hours. The end result can be mortality, although sublethal effects (e.g., inhibited reproduction or growth) are more common. |
| Coliform bacteria | Bacteria used as indicators of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (see also Fecal coliforms). |
| Combined sewer | A sewer intended to receive wastewater and stormwater discharges. |
| Combined sewer overflow (CSO) | Discharge of excess flow into a nearby body of water from combined sewers during wet weather, when sewer capacity is exceeded. |
| Contamination | The introduction of pathogenic or undesirable microorganisms, toxins, and other deleterious substances that render water, air, soil, or biota unfit for use. |
| Conventional parameters (or conventional pollutants) | Measurements that are routinely made at most municipal wastewater treatment plants on the inflowing raw sewage and the treated effluent, including biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, turbidity,
pH, temperature, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, microbial organisms, and sulphides. |
| Cumulative effect | The change to an organism and/or ecosystem resulting from a series of successive actions or impacts. |
“D”
Dechlorination |
The partial or complete removal of residual chlorine in wastewater by any chemical or physical process. |
| Discharge point (or release point) | A distinct and identifiable source of pollution, such as an outfall pipe from
a municipal wastewater treatment plant or a stormwater sewer. |
| Disinfection | The killing of waterborne pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in potable water supplies or wastewater effluents with a disinfectant. |
“E”
Effluent |
A complex mixture of liquid waste that is discharged into the environment. |
| Endocrine disrupter | A substance that interferes with the normal communication between the
messenger and receptor in the cell, so that the chemical message is not
interpreted properly. |
| Endocrine system | The system in animals that controls events at the cellular level through
changes in the concentration of hormones in the circulatory system. |
| Escherichia coli | A species of bacteria used as an indicator of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. Abbreviated to E. coli. |
| Eutrophication | An increase in the productivity of plants, phytoplankton, and
microorganisms resulting from nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus)
addition. Moderate nutrient addition can increase fish and larval aquatic
insect production. High levels of nutrient addition can lead to excessive
plant production, reduced water clarity, lowered oxygen levels, and,
in some cases, fish kills. |
“F”
Fecal coliforms |
A group of bacteria found predominantly in the intestines of humans and other vertebrates, which are eliminated in feces. They are used as indicators of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. |
“G”
Gastroenteritis |
An inflammation of the membrane lining the stomach and the intestines. |
| Gastrointestinal illness | A mild illness resulting in an inflammation of the stomach and intestines,
which may cause stomach cramps, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea. |
“L”
Loadings |
The total mass of a pollutant discharged to a water body per unit of time
(kilograms per day). It is calculated by multiplying the mean concentration
of the pollutant in the effluent by the mean effluent discharge volume. |
“M”
Municipal wastewater effluent |
Effluent discharged from municipal wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer overflows, and stormwater discharges. |
| Municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) | A series of tanks, screens, filters, and other processes by which pollutants
are removed from water. Synonymous with sewage treatment plant,
wastewater treatment works, and water pollution control plant. |
“N”
Nitrate (NO3-) |
A compound containing nitrogen that can exist in the atmosphere or
as a dissolved gas in water. Nitrates in water can cause adverse effects on
humans and animals and act as a nutrient for plants. |
| Nitrite (NO2-) | An intermediate in the bacterial transformation of ammonia or ammonium
to nitrate. |
| Nitrogen (N) | A key nutrient for aquatic and terrestrial plants and occurring in various
forms (NO2-, NO3-, NH3, NH4+). |
“O”
Ozone |
Gas molecule composed of oxygen. Ozone is administered to water or wastewater for the purposes of disinfection, oxidation, or odour control. |
“P”
Phosphorus (P) |
An important nutrient utilized by aquatic and terrestrial plants. |
| Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | A class of persistent organic chemicals with the potential to bioaccumulate
through the food chain and cause reproductive failure. They are suspected carcinogens. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | Organic compounds composed of at least two fused benzene rings, many of which are potential or suspected carcinogens. |
| Primary treatment | Effluent treatment process consisting of the removal of large particles by screens, followed by the removal of sediment and organic matter in settling chambers. |
“R”
Raw wastewater |
Wastewater before it receives any treatment. |
| Raw water | Water before it receives any treatment to make it suitable for drinking and/or other beneficial uses. |
| Receiving water | A river, lake, ocean, or other body of water into which wastewater or treated effluent is discharged. |
| Runoff | The portion of precipitation that runs off the surface of a drainage area and reaches a body of water or a drain or sewer. |
“S”
Sanitary sewer |
A sewer for the collection and transmission of wastewater from residences, commercial buildings, institutions, and small industries, but not from stormwater or runoff. |
| Secondary treatment | Effluent treatment process that follows primary treatment. A combination
of biological or chemical processes with mechanical and/or gravitational
methods to remove dissolved, colloidal, and suspended matter. |
| Separate sewer system | A sewer system in which urban runoff is conveyed by storm sewers and municipal sewage is conveyed by sanitary sewers. |
| Sewage | see Wastewater |
| Storm sewers | A sewer for the collection and transmission of stormwater runoff, land surface water, and water from soil drainage, but not including any domestic
or industrial wastewater. |
| Stormwater | Water from rain or snowmelt that accumulates prior to entering a water body or filtering into soils. |
| Surfactant | Organic compounds, found in detergents, that increase the wetting properties of a liquid by decreasing the liquid’s surface tension. Some are
suspected endocrine disrupters. |
“T”
Tertiary treatment |
Advanced effluent treatment process that further reduces the concentration of suspended and dissolved substances in the secondary effluent by
employing physical filtration, chemical precipitation, or biological action. |
| Total suspended solids (TSS) | Insoluble solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water or wastewater. TSS is a measure of the amount of particulate
matter in an aqueous sample. May also be referred to as suspended solids (SS). |
| Toxicity | The degree to which the health or well-being of an organism is adversely affected by a substance. |
| Trihalomethanes (THMs) | A group of chemicals that form as by-products of chlorine disinfection, including chloroform, bromodichloromethane, chlorodibromomethane, and bromoform. |
| Turbidity | A measure of the clarity of water. |
“W”
Wastewater |
Spent or used water of a community or industry, including runoff water and combined sewer overflow. |
| Water quality guidelines | Numerical limits or narrative statements recommended to protect specific water uses, such as drinking water supply, freshwater and marine life, crop irrigation water, livestock water, and recreational aesthetics. |
For further information
For additional information on issues related to municipal wastewater effluents, consult the
following:
National
Canada’s National Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from
Land-based Activities
www.ec.gc.ca/marine
Canadian Water and Wastewater Association
www.cwwa.ca/e_index.htm
Canadian Water Quality Guidelines
www.ec.gc.ca/ceqg-rcqe
Ecosystem Initiatives
www.ec.gc.ca/ecos_e.html
Environmental Indicator Bulletin on Municipal Water Use and Wastewater Treatment
www.ec.gc.ca/Soer-ree/English/Indicators/Issues/Urb_H2O/default.cfm
Freshwater Website
www.ec.gc.ca/water/index.htm
Infrastructure Canada web site
www.infrastructurecanada.gc.ca/
Municipal Water Use Database (MUD) web site
www3.ec.gc.ca/MUD/eng/default.cfm
Shellfish and Water Quality
www.ns.ec.gc.ca/epb/factsheets/sfish_wq.html
Pacific and Yukon Region
British Columbia non-point source water pollution control
www.elp.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/bmp_c/npsaction.html
Capital Regional District Liquid Waste Management Plan
www.crd.bc.ca/es/lwmp/
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Shellfish Biotoxins web site
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/ops/fm/shellfish/Biotoxins/biotoxins.htm
Greater Vancouver Regional District Sewerage web site
www.gvrd.bc.ca/services/sewers/index.html
Prairie and Northern Region
City of Calgary wastewater web site
www.calgary.ca/cweb/
City of Edmonton wastewater treatment
www.edmonton.ca
City of Regina Sewage Treatment Plant
www.cityregina.com/content/info_services/environmental/sewage.shtml
City of Winnipeg water and sewer services
www.winnipeg.ca/interhom/
Ontario Region
City of Ottawa Wastewater Treatment
www.city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/waterwaste/27_2_3_en.shtml
City of Toronto sewers and drains web site
www.toronto.ca/
Ontario Clean Water Agency
www.ocwa.com
Quebec Region
Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River Water Quality Network
www.biosphere.ec.gc.ca/
Montreal Urban Community Wastewater Treatment Plant
applicatif.ville.montreal.qc.ca/framville.asp?url=http://services.ville.montreal.qc.ca/station/an/accustaa.htm
Atlantic Region
Halifax Harbour Solutions Project
www.region.halifax.ns.ca/harboursol/index.html
Appendix
Appendix 1. The biological, chemical, and physical constituents of wastewater effluents
Type of
wastewater
constituent |
Selected examples |
| Biological |
Bacteria
e.g., fecal coliforms (e.g., Escherichia coli, Campylobacter)
e.g., Salmonella
Viruses
e.g., hepatitis A virus
Protozoa
e.g., Giardia
e.g., Cryptosporidium |
| Chemical |
Nutrients
Phosphorus
Nitrogen (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, ammonia)
Organic chemicals
Pesticides (e.g., toxaphene, DDT/DDE)
Surfactants (e.g., nonylphenol)
Chlorinated solvents (e.g., tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Endocrine-disrupting substances (e.g., PCBs, dioxins, furans
contraceptives, nonylphenol)
Inorganic chemicals
Metals (mercury, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, zinc)
Chloride and chlorine
Cyanide
Oil and grease
Biochemical oxygen demand (e.g., organic matter) |
| Physical |
Suspended solids
Debris
Grit |
1 The 5NR departments are Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans
Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Health Canada.
2 Environment Canada. 1997. Review of the Impacts of Municipal Wastewater Effluents on Canadian Waters
and Human Health. Ecosystem Science Directorate, Environmental Conservation Service. Prepared for the
Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
3 The MUD survey collects water- and wastewater-related information from Canadian municipalities having
populations of 1000 or more, every two or three years. Municipalities self-report their wastewater treatment
levels based on the definitions provided in the MUD survey. Therefore, some municipalities may report
treatment levels that are different from those reported by other agencies (i.e., provinces/territories, regions, and
non-governmental organizations) based on differences in treatment level definitions (see Figure 2 for MUD
definitions). Furthermore, MUD occasionally amalgamates several different treatment facilities for a municipality
into one overall level of treatment, when more than one facility exists in a municipality.
4 Discharge guidelines for wastewater effluents of federal facilities for the protection of the environment
recommend a maximum discharge of 5–30 milligrams per litre for BOD and for TSS, depending on whether
effluents are discharged to lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries, or open coastline (FCEMS WWG 2000).
5 Federal facilities discharge guidelines: 1 milligram per litre for ammonia, 10 milligrams per litre for nitrates,
and 1 milligram per litre for phosphorus.
6 Federal facilities discharge guidelines: 100 fecal coliforms per 100 millilitres and 1000 total coliforms per 100 millilitres.
7 Federal facilities discharge guidelines (milligrams per litre): 1 for aluminum, 0.3 for iron, 0.005 for cadmium,
0.2 for copper, 0 (limit of detection) for lead, 0.5 for zinc, 0.5 for manganese, 0.2 for molybdenum, 0.3 for nickel, and 0 (limit of detection) for mercury.
8 Federal facilities discharge guidelines: 0 (limit of detection) milligrams per litre for PCBs and for dioxins and furans.
9 For a detailed review of laboratory toxicity tests of municipal wastewater effluent components, please refer to Environment Canada (1997).
|
Previous