Policy Text:
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall ensure that the Environmental Compliance Approval that governs the following existing or future activities contain terms and conditions, as appropriate, to ensure that the activity does not become and/or ceases to be a significant drinking water threat to groundwater and drinking water supplies within the specified vulnerable areas:
a. Existing:
i. Sewage treatment plant effluent discharges including lagoons;
i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A and B where the vulnerability is equal to ten (10);
ii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
iii. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6);
v. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
vi. In Intake Protection Zone Two and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8).
ii. Storage of sewage (treatment tank or storage tank) where the tank is completely underground;
i. In Wellhead Protection Area A, B and C where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8);
ii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
iii. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6).
iii. Storage of sewage (treatment tank or storage tank) and any part of the tank is at or above grade;
i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A, B and C where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8);
ii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
iii. Where a Nitrate and/or TCE Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6).
iv. Industrial effluent discharge (to surface);
i. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
ii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
iii. Where a Nitrate, Chloride and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8).
v. Sewage treatment plant bypass discharges to surface water
i. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
ii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
iii. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8).
b. Future:
i. Sewage treatment plant effluent discharges including lagoons;
i. In Intake Protection Zone Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8);
ii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
iii. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than or equal to six (6).
ii. Storage of sewage (treatment tank or storage tank) where the tank is completely underground;
i. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6).
iii. Storage of Sewage (treatment tank or storage tank) and any part of the tank is at or above grade;
i. In all Wellhead Protection Areas A, B and C where the vulnerability is greater than or is equal to eight (8);
ii. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
iii. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6).
iv. Industrial effluent discharge (to surface);
i. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
ii. Where a Nitrate, Chloride and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iii. In Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8).
v. Sewage treatment plant bypass discharges to surface water
i. In Intake Protection Zone One (1);
ii. In Wellhead Protection Area E where the vulnerability is greater than eight (8);
iii. Where a Nitrate and/or Trichloroethylene Issue has been identified, in the Issue Contributing Area where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to six (6);
iv. In the Intake Protection Zones Two (2) and Three (3) where the vulnerability is greater than or equal to eight (8).
For storage of sewage, the terms and conditions should include, as a minimum, measures to reduce the likelihood of spills and leaks, measures to contain and respond to spills and annual reporting to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
For effluent discharge from a sewage treatment plant, including lagoons, the terms and conditions should include, as a minimum, monitoring for nitrogen where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks of water quality monitoring in related groundwater monitoring wells, as appropriate, and contingency plans for responding to spills and leaks.
For industrial effluent discharge to surface, the terms and conditions should include, as a minimum, measures to ensure facilities are maintained, contingency plans for responding to spills and leaks, and surface water monitoring for nitrogen where there is a Nitrate Issue.