Greater Vancouver Regional District’s Liquid Waste Management Plan

GVRD 21 municipalities & one electoral area Delivery of cost-effective utilities such as water, sewerage & drainage, & solid waste management Environmental stewardship & livability in the region Area size (Land & Water) : 329,202 hectares Population: 2 million Annual population growth rate: 1.6%

Greater Vancouver Region

Historical Context The Sewerage and Drainage District and the first sewer plan date from 1914 The Rawn report recommended a sewerage plan for the growing region in the 1950s The current LWMP provides a new path for the future

Sewer System: 1950 Outfall Locations: Untreated Sewage to Marine/Rivers

Sewer System: 2000 Combined Sewer Outfalls

Estimated Volume of Untreated Sewage Discharge VSA Operational Plan First Sewerage Treatment Plants Annacis Is. Sewerage Treatment Plants

LWMP Background The LWMP is a plan under the Provincial Waste Management Act Stage 3 and Addendum approved by all municipalities and GVRD - March 2001 Provincial Minister approved LWMP – April 2002 Federal agencies have participated in development of the Plan BIEAP / FREMP partnership used to address Federal issues

LWMP Strategies 1. Conserve Resources 2. Maintain Infrastructure and Stretch Capacity 3. Maximize Environmental Benefit per Dollar Spent

Strategic Context 1. Conserve Resources –Pollution prevention –Water conservation –Stormwater as a resource

Strategic Context 2. Maintain Infrastructure and Stretch Capacity –$12 billion dollars in existing wastewater assets

Strategic Context 3. Maximize Environmental Benefit per Dollar Spent –Limited financial resources and affordability context

LWMP Management Process Based On: Appropriate monitoring program Defensible Triggers Acceptable Risk Reasonable Options Mutually Agreeable Timelines

Process Context A science-based approach is needed There must be an understanding of environmental risk The cost and benefits of options must be considered The LWMP incorporates these into a formal upgrading trigger process

District Board to select appropriate responses in consultation with Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks & Environment Canada NO LWMP Upgrading Trigger Process Discharge(s) meets Water Quality Objectives and other established criteria Define and evaluate risk in consultation with Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks & Environment Canada Assess options, costs, and benefits Actions YES Monitoring Ongoing Review by Environmental Monitoring Committee

Municipal Wastewater Collection and Treatment System Air Effluent Solid Atmosphere Surface Water Land Re-use ReleaseReceiving Environment TreatmentCollectionInfluentProducts & Pre- disposal Sources

Treatment Plants

Established base level of treatment –Secondary to river –Primary to marine Upgrading based on environmental need and triggers Addendum No. 1 clarifies growth-driven upgrading at Iona and Lions Gate

Recommendations - WWTPs Base expansions for –growth, renewal, and substantial compliance Investigate and monitor high loading sources Assess copper reductions via water treatment Evaluate U.V. at Annacis, Lulu, Northwest Langley Monitor conditions and re-examine issues

Source and Demand Management

Source Management Why: –Protect workers, infrastructure, WWTP processes –Improve biosolids quality –Stretch capacity of existing systems –Reduce effect on the environment Sectors: –Industrial –Commercial & institutional –Residential

Source and Demand Management Emphasis on Pollution Prevention Control of Toxic Substances Discharged to Sewer Consistent with Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999)

Source Control Sewer Use By-law Pollution Prevention Local Limits Methodology Water Conservation Public Education Pollutant Reduction Substance Prohibition Reduction at the Source Sector Control Programs

Promotion of water conservation Eliminate stormwater discharges to sanitary sewers GVWD program to reduce copper levels Education programs targeting green buildings, sustainable communities, residential, commercial and institutional practices Source and Demand Management

Residuals Management The beneficial reuse of biosolids

Recycled Biosolids by Market Sector in 2000

Environmental Management

Designated WLAP water use protection is paramount A receiving environment science-based approach A formal process to determine upgrading needs A standing multi-agency Environmental Monitoring Committee

GVRD’s LWMP Environmental Management Program Receiving environment effects monitoring Discharge characterization Ambient monitoring Risk assessments Options evaluation

EMP Monitoring Components WWTPs (5 Plants) - monitor effluent & receiving environment CSOs (50) Recreational beaches (32 beaches with 120 sites) Stormwater (130 watersheds) Regional monitoring Municipal monitoring programs

Treatment Plants Receiving Environment Effects Monitoring Understanding the fate of discharges

GVRD’s LWMP Receiving Environment Monitoring –water and sediment chemistry –benthic invertebrate community –acute and chronic toxicity –bioaccumulation & biomagnification –habitat impairment & community alteration

Detailed Benthic Infaunal Analysis

Receiving Environment Investigations Reviewed by Environmental Monitoring Committee Detailed environmental fate and effect studies Long-term monitoring programs All receiving waterways in the region

LWMP Summary A long term commitment to sustainable wastewater management Action plans to address all identified issues Formally reviewed on a five-year basis Coordinated with other agencies including using BIEAP/FREMP as a senior level clearing house