Policy Text:
Where event based modelling has shown that a spill from a sanitary trunk sewer break would be a significant drinking water threat, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall:
a) review and amend Environmental Compliance Approvals to ensure that the threat ceases to be significant. Terms and conditions should include a spill prevention and contingency plan incorporating a requirement for assessment of erosion and flooding risks in tributaries which could jeopardize the integrity of the sanitary sewer systems identified as a significant threat. Re-inspections shall also be required with the frequency commensurate with the level of risk identified during the initial inspection;
b) update spill notification protocols jointly with Spills Action Centre to ensure direct notification to all potentially affected water treatment plant operators and appropriate communication to the public and media;
c) review the notification protocols for significant threat activities and adjust the reporting protocol as required to ensure that water plant operators are notified appropriately for a given magnitude of spill;
d) ensure that information is communicated to all responsible parties (e.g., the originators of the spill, emergency response/clean-up personnel, medical officer of health, municipal water owner and water operating authority) who are responding to the spill;
e) work with the Office of the Fire Marshal Emergency Management to ensure that testing of the Contingency Plan is carried out within 3 years of the Source Protection Plan coming into effect, followed by regular (frequency and priority to be determined in consultation) emergency response preparedness exercises to address the significant threats identified; and
f) direct the responsible municipality to undertake a review and report on the depth of ground cover over the pipeline at each crossing including an assessment of erosion, flood risk and the integrity of their infrastructure. MECP shall consider this information in determining the risk mitigation measures required to ensure that the drinking water threat ceases to be or does not become significant. The inspection report should be shared with the Source Protection Authority.
Timelines:
T-1: Prescribed Instruments (existing) shall be reviewed (and amended, as necessary) within 3 years of the date the Source Protection Plan takes effect, or such other date as the Director determines.
T-3: The relevant Ministry shall comply with the Prescribed Instrument policy (future) immediately upon the date the Source Protection Plan takes effect.