Weird loophole in Toronto sewer bylaw
Toronto seems to have a weird and expensive loophole in its sewer bylaw. Virtually every municipal sewer bylaw prohibits the discharge of non-municipal water, such as storm water or groundwater, into its sanitary sewers. Stormwater and groundwater are permitted only in storm or combined sewe…
View the post titled Weird loophole in Toronto sewer bylawBetter comments on permit-by-rule for water taking
Will Ontario’s proposed rules for “permit-by-rule” water takings work? Stephen English of the Region of Halton has graciously allowed me to post some of his helpful comments on the details of Ontario’s proposal to replace some Permits to Take Water, especially for con…
View the post titled Better comments on permit-by-rule for water takingWill Toronto go to full cost recovery in Surcharge Agreements?
In 2008, Toronto’s Auditor General’s Report on Protecting Water Quality and Preventing Pollution recommended that Toronto should charge industries the full cost of sampling, testing and treating their high strength sewage. In November 2012, Toronto Council considered, and rejected, the…
View the post titled Will Toronto go to full cost recovery in Surcharge Agreements?Waterkeepers want notice of sewage bypasses
Congratulations to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper for their innovative application to the Ontario Environmental Commissioner, to force Toronto to give public notice when it bypasses sewage into Lake Ontario due to wet weather- about three times a month. The Environmental Bill of Rights allows anyo…
View the post titled Waterkeepers want notice of sewage bypassesStrong opposition to sewage processing facility foiled by filing error
Lystek’s controversial sewage sludge processing facility in Southgate, Ontario, will not face an appeal of its Environmental Compliance Approvals, because opponents, after fighting the facility for so long, made a critical error in seeking leave to appeal. See Green v. Ontario.
View the post titled Strong opposition to sewage processing facility foiled by filing error$50,000 fine for one month's BOD in sewage
Oakrun Farm Bakery Ltd. of Hamilton pleaded guilty to failing to comply with its industrial sewage works environmental compliance approval (ECA), and was fined $50,000 (+25% VFS), total $62,500.
View the post titled $50,000 fine for one month's BOD in sewageVeolia Poop Pellets Escape
Veolia Water Canada Inc. makes fertilizer pellets (sold as Nutri-Pel) from secondary sewage sludge. It was fined $70,000 for letting some of them escape into a creek.
View the post titled Veolia Poop Pellets EscapePonoka fined $70,000 for sewage discharge permitted by province
While federal environmental enforcement is less frequent these days, the fines imposed are getting larger. The small town of Ponoka, Alberta (population about 7000) was fined $70,000 after pleading guilty to one count under the Fisheries Act. The Town was releasing effluent from their wastew…
View the post titled Ponoka fined $70,000 for sewage discharge permitted by provinceBlock 2- The Industrial Water Rate
For major employers in Toronto, the most important incentive to comply with the sewer bylaw is not the risk of prosecution, it’s the risk of losing their preferential Block 2 Industrial Rate for water and sewage service. Block 2 can save large companies tens of thousands of dollars or…
View the post titled Block 2- The Industrial Water RateToronto fined $150,000 for sewage spill
The City of Toronto pled guilty to one violation under the Ontario Water Resources Act foroperating its sewage works in not accordance with its Certificate of Approval. It was fined $150,000 plus the victim fine surcharge.
View the post titled Toronto fined $150,000 for sewage spillReceive Blog Posts
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