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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

RW-MC-2

Grand River

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MECP – WDS – Hauled Sewage, Biosolids

Conform with

Prescribed Instruments

Existing

Implemented

Since May 2015, the ministry screens all (including new and existing) hauled sewage, processed organic waste, and biosolids disposal site Environmental Compliance Approval applications in accordance with Source Water Protection Plans. This includes consideration of whether the proposed activity would be a drinking water threat as outlined in the relevant Source Water Protection Plan under the Clean Water Act. The ministry will not issue an Environmental Compliance Approval for a site deemed as a significant drinking water threat. For sites deemed as a low or moderate drinking water threat, the ministry will consider the application, but additional site restrictions may apply. The ministry’s review and approval process is included in the Standard Operating Procedure that can be found in Environmental Registry No. 012-2968 (https://ero.ontario.ca/archive/012-2968).

MECP – WDS – Hauled Sewage, Biosolids

Conform with

Prescribed Instruments

Future

Implemented

Since May 2015, the ministry screens all (including new and existing) hauled sewage, processed organic waste, and biosolids disposal site Environmental Compliance Approval applications in accordance with Source Water Protection Plans. This includes consideration of whether the proposed activity would be a drinking water threat as outlined in the relevant Source Water Protection Plan under the Clean Water Act. The ministry will not issue an Environmental Compliance Approval for a site deemed as a significant drinking water threat. For sites deemed as a low or moderate drinking water threat, the ministry will consider the application, but additional site restrictions may apply. The ministry’s review and approval process is included in the Standard Operating Procedure that can be found in Environmental Registry No. 012-2968 (https://ero.ontario.ca/archive/012-2968). Hauled sewage, processed organic waste, and biosolids Environmental Compliance Approvals issued after April 1, 2020 are available on the ministry's Access Environment website. More information about Access Environment can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/list-environmental-approvals-and-registrations. Otherwise, copies of approvals can be provided upon request by contacting the local District office.

MECP - WDS - Landfilling and Storage

Conform with

Prescribed Instruments

Existing

Implemented

Since May 2015, the Ministry has been screening environmental compliance approval (ECA) applications to determine if the activity is located in an area where the activity could be a significant drinking water threat. This is called the “primary screening”. Based on a set of criteria, an ECA application is flagged for a more detailed ‘secondary screening’ to determine if the activity associated with the application is a significant drinking water threat.

MECP - WDS - Landfilling and Storage

Conform with

Prescribed Instruments

Future

Implemented

Since May 2015, the Ministry has been screening environmental compliance approval (ECA) applications to determine if the activity is located in an area where the activity could be a significant drinking water threat. This is called the “primary screening”. Based on a set of criteria, an ECA application is flagged for a more detailed ‘secondary screening’ to determine if the activity associated with the application is a significant drinking water threat.

Policy Text:

For existing and/or future waste disposal sites within the meaning of Part V of the Environmental Protection Act within vulnerable areas where this activity is or would be a significant drinking water threat:

a. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall prohibit, within the Environmental Compliance Approvals process, the establishment of a new waste disposal site in the following vulnerable areas:

i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A and B where the vulnerability is equal to ten (10) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land farming of petroleum waste, landfilling of hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous or Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) waste at landfills or transfer stations;
ii. In Wellhead Protection Areas A, B and C where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8) for the injection of liquid industrial waste, landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste;
iii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous, or PCB waste at landfills or transfer stations;
iv. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is equal to nine (9) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous waste at landfills or transfer stations;
v. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous waste at landfills or transfer stations;
vi. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas for landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste;
vii. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas for the application of hauled sewage;
viii. Where a Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Wellhead Protection Areas for the injection of liquid industrial waste, landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste.

b. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall ensure that the Environmental Compliance Approval that governs an existing waste disposal site contains appropriate terms and conditions to ensure that the activity ceases to be a significant drinking water threat. The Environmental Compliance Approval should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks of water quality monitoring in related groundwater monitoring wells and surface water monitoring locations as appropriate in the following vulnerable areas where the following activities are identified as a significant drinking water threat:

i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A and B where the vulnerability is equal to ten (10) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land-farming of petroleum waste, landfilling of hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous or Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) waste at landfills or transfer stations;
ii. In Wellhead Protection Areas A, B and C where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8) for the injection of liquid industrial waste, landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste;
iii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1) for the application of hauled sewage to land, land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste and storage of hazardous or Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) waste at landfills or transfer stations;
iv. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is equal to or greater than eight (8) for the application of hauled sewage to land;
v. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is equal to nine (9) for the land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous waste at landfills or transfer stations ;
vi. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8) for the application of hauled sewage to land;
vii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than nine (9) for the land-farming of petroleum waste, or landfilling of municipal waste, solid non-hazardous waste, and/or hazardous waste, and storage of hazardous waste at landfills or transfer stations;
viii. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas for landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste;
ix. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas for the application of hauled sewage;
x. Where a Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Wellhead Protection Areas for the injection of liquid industrial waste, landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste.

Where there is a Nitrate Issue, the Environmental Compliance Approval for landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste, should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and monitoring for nitrogen as appropriate.

Where there is a Nitrate Issue, the Environmental Compliance Approval for the application of hauled sewage should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and monitoring for nitrogen as appropriate.

Where there is a Trichloroethylene Issue, the Environmental Compliance Approval for the injection of liquid industrial waste, landfilling of municipal waste and/or solid non-hazardous waste should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and monitoring for trichloroethylene and degradation products as appropriate.

c. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall ensure that the Environmental Compliance Approval that governs existing or new temporary waste destruction units for polychlorinated biphenyl contains appropriate terms and conditions to ensure that the activity ceases to be or does not become be a significant drinking water threat. The Environmental Compliance Approval should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks of water quality monitoring in related groundwater monitoring wells and surface water monitoring locations as appropriate in the following vulnerable areas:

i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A and B where the vulnerability is equal to ten (10);
ii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1).

Monitoring Text:

(RW-CW-1.12): Where the Source Protection Plan policies require a Provincial Ministry to undertake an activity under the Environmental Compliance Approval process or review, issue or amend a Prescribed Instrument, the applicable Provincial Ministry should:

a. Provide a copy of the Prescribed Instruments to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo;
b. Provide a written report to the Region of Waterloo and the Source Protection Authority summarizing where Prescribed Instruments have been issued and/or amended and for each instrument a summary of the conditions included for source protection purposes.