Policy Text:
The policy applies in all vulnerable areas where the following activities related to the establishment, operation or maintenance of a system that collects, stores, transmits, treats or disposes of sewage are significant drinking water threats (existing activity):
1. industrial effluent discharge
2. sewage treatment plant bypass discharge to surface water
3. storage of sewage (e.g. treatment plant tanks)
4. sewage treatment plant effluent discharge (including lagoons)
The policy applies to provincial instruments related to approvals to establish, alter, extend or replace existing sewage works as described in clauses (1) to (4) above.
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change shall:
A. Review all existing approvals as described above;
B. Determine whether the approvals contain appropriate terms and conditions and require adequate measures to be in place to ensure that the sewage works ceases to be a significant drinking water threat; and
C. Where the Ministry is of the opinion that the terms, conditions and measures contained in an approval are not adequate, make such amendments to the approval so as to ensure that the sewage works ceases to be a significant drinking water threat.
Existing approvals shall be reviewed within three years of the effective date of the Source Protection Plan, or such other date as the Director determines based on a prioritized review of Environmental Compliance Approvals that govern significant drinking water threat activities. Where amendments are deemed necessary, the existing approval shall be amended within 12 months of the review, or such other date as the Director determines based on a prioritized review of Environmental Compliance Approvals that govern significant drinking water threat activities.
Monitoring policy MP-01 applies.