Municipal and Industrial Wastewater

In accordance with the Classes of Development Regulation, Licensing Procedures Regulation and Environment Act Fees Regulation under The Environment Act, wastewater generated from municipal and industrial developments, including mines and manufacturing facilities, requires environmental assessment and licensing. In addition, the land application of biosolids and management and disposal of wastewater treatment sludge and residuals are required to have Environment Act Licences. Alterations to existing wastewater developments also require approval; a Notice of Alteration must be submitted and approval received prior to implementing the change.

Information Bulletins:

All existing, new or expanding municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities discharging treated effluent into the environment are required to meet Manitoba Water Quality Standards, Objectives, and Guidelines under The Water Protection Act. Wastewater standards are specified for total suspended solids (TSS), carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD), pathogens, ammonia, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and others. A site-specific assessment may result in more stringent effluent quality criteria or the inclusion of limits for other parameters.

Manitoba is a signatory to the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent (the Strategy). The Strategy developed minimum National Performance Standards that address pollutants common to most wastewater discharges, and provides a mechanism to develop and manage site-specific Effluent Discharge Objectives. Some aspects of the Strategy were incorporated into the federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulation, which applies only to facilities that discharge more than 100 m3/day. Other aspects of the Strategy have been incorporated into site-specific Environment Act licence conditions for new and upgraded facilities

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