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Policy Id:

SPR/SPA:

Risk:

RW-MC-10

Grand River

Significant

Implementing Body

Legal Effect

Policy Tool

Threat Type

Status

Comment

MECP - Wastewater/Sewage Works

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 - Wastewater/Sewage Works

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:

To ensure existing and new large onsite sewage systems cease to be or do not become significant drinking water threats, where this activity is or would be a significant drinking water threat, the following policies apply:

a. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall ensure that the Environmental Compliance Approval for an existing large onsite sewage system contains terms and conditions as appropriate to ensure that the activity ceases to be a significant drinking water threat in the following vulnerable areas:

i. In Wellhead Protection Areas A and B where the vulnerability is equal to ten (10);
ii. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas.

b. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks shall ensure that the Environmental Compliance Approval for a new large onsite sewage system contains terms and conditions as appropriate to ensure that the activity never becomes a significant drinking water threat in the following vulnerable areas:

i. Where a Nitrate Issue has been identified, in all Issue Contributing Areas where the vulnerability is less than six (6).

The Environmental Compliance Approval should include annual reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks of water quality monitoring in related monitoring wells.

For Issue Contributing Areas, the Environmental Compliance Approval should require applicable chemical effluent criteria established using Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Reasonable Use Policy (Guideline B-7) relative to water quality levels in the municipal aquifer as appropriate.

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.