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Liquid Waste Regulatory Program 

The new online Liquid Waste application will be available at the end of May.

Metro Vancouver Permittees - Your Q1 monitoring report, due April 30th, needs to be submitted though the online system. However, it is possible that your Q1 data may have already been entered by your Officer, if you submitted it to us. If the Q1 data has already been entered, the next report (Q2 data), due July 31st, will show as the next report due date and will need to be submitted through the online system.

City of Vancouver - Your March monitoring report (due April 30th), needs to be submitted though the online system. However, it is possible that your March data may have already been entered by your Officer, if it was submitted to us. If the March data has already been entered, the next report (April data), due May 31st, will show as the next report due date and will need to be submitted through the online system.

Information Session Presentation

Regulating liquid wastes
The primary bylaw for regulating liquid waste discharges by commercial, institutional and industrial (non-domestic) sewer users is Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299 - 2007.  This bylaw includes Codes of Practice for dental operations, dry cleaners and photo processors.  Recent amendments to the bylaw include increases to the application fees for new permits and amendments to existing permits as well as changes to the permit administration fees.

Further changes considered
Metro Vancouver is considering further changes to its Sewer Use Bylaw.  To encourage public feedback, Metro Vancouver staff is producing a series of Issue Papers.  Based on feedback received during this consultation, staff will propose draft amendments to the pertinent sections of the Bylaw for consideration by the Board.
 Sewer Use Bylaw Review

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Industrial Users
Waste discharge permits
The primary method used to monitor and regulate the volume and contents of wastewater produced by industrial sources is through waste discharge permits issued under Sewer Use Bylaw 299.

A permit is required for any commercial or industrial (non-domestic) sewer user that intends to produce liquid wastes on an ongoing basis that:
- contain Restricted Wastes (as defined in Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299 ); and,
- will be greater than 300 cubic metres within any 30-day period or any instantaneous discharge of Non-Domestic Waste in excess of 30 litres per minute.

There are several types of permit application forms available, depending on the nature of the discharge and the type of application.  Metro Vancouver also maintains a list of the currently active waste discharge permits. For more information on waste discharge permits, e-mail regulationenforcement@metrovancouver.org
Industrial Pricing Strategy
Industrial sewer users are charged according to the degree of treatment their wastewater requires and the demands that the wastewater puts upon the sewerage system. These costs are contained in the Industrial Pricing Strategy table and are calculated by the type of industry (with the exception of groundwater permits). These costs are charged to the municipality that the industry operates in and it is up to the municipality's discretion how to recover these costs.  Beginning in 2011, Metro Vancouver will begin invoicing all permit holders for these costs.

 Usage Charges        
   FSA  VSA  LIWSA  NSSA
 BOD ($/kg)  0.324  0.066  0.487  0.135
 TSS ($/kg)  0.432  0.623  0.460  0.884
 Flow ($/m3)  0.152  0.076  0.185  0.213
 Capacity Charges        
    FSA  VSA  LIWSA   NSSA
 BOD ($/kg)  35.082  46.233  47.577  40.803
 TSS ($/kg)  26.865  63.266  24.131  49.687
 Flow ($/m3)  10.844  28.533  5.057  21.999

For 2010, the discharge information was calculated based on self-monitoring and sampling data for the period between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.

FSA = Fraser Sewerage Area   VSA = Vancouver Sewerage Area  
LIWSA = Lulu Island West Sewerage Area   NSSA = North Shore Sewerage Area

Compliance monitoring
Metro Vancouver monitors the liquid waste produced by waste discharge permit holders to determine whether these companies are complying with the terms of their permit.

Enforcement
Metro Vancouver officers are responsible for ensuring businesses operate within the terms of the bylaw and permits. If a company exceeds these terms, Metro Vancouver can:

    • work co-operatively with the company to address the reasons for non-compliance
    • request the permit holder take immediate corrective action
    • issue a warning
    • issue an order to prevent or abate pollution which may include conducting specific studies and implementing plans to prevent future occurrences
    • initiate legal action which may result in court-imposed fines, or
    • cancel the permit.
Commercial and Institutional Users
In some cases, Metro Vancouver provides regulation or guidance to commercial businesses and institutions that don't currently operate under a waste discharge permit. Depending on the industry and the nature of the wastewater produced, Metro Vancouver uses one of the following approaches to help reduce the load that effluent from these industries can place on the wastewater collection and treatment system:
  • Education and awareness programs - SmartSteps, a program designed to help businesses save money and become more competitive by increasing the efficiency of its use of energy, water and materials.
  • Mandatory codes of practice - a mandatory Code of Practice specifies the equipment and/or activities that a sector must employ to remain in compliance.

Metro Vancouver is reviewing wastewater issues for the following types of businesses or commercial enterprises:

  • printing facilities
  • laboratories
  • recreation facilities
  • automotive businesses
  • car wash facilities
  • U-Brew/Wine premises
  • carpet cleaning services
  • funeral homes.

Initiatives underway for dealing with wastewater issues presented by the commercial and institutional sector include:

All
Business specific guides, directories and other tools designed to improve eco-efficiency.
 
  SmartSteps
Dental Offices

This Code of Practice requires that all dental operations involved with placing or removing Dental Amalgam, must install, operate and maintain a Certified Amalgam Separator by July 1, 2008.

 
  Code of Practice for Dental Operations
Dry Cleaners
This Code of Practice requires the installation and proper maintenance of required equipment to control the discharge of tetrachloroethylene (PERC) to sanitary sewer. 
 
  Code of Practice for Dry Cleaning Operations using Tetrachlorethylene
Photo Processors
This Code of Practice requires the installation and proper maintenance of required equipment to control the discharge of silver to sanitary sewer. 
 
  Code of Practice for Photo Processing Operations using Silver
Restaurants/ Bakeries
On July 28, 2000, the Greater Vancouver Sewerage & Drainage District (GVS&DD) Board adopted the Code of Practice for Wastewater Management at Food Sector Establishments under the Regional Sewer Use Bylaw 164. The Code of Practice was created in partnership with the British Columbia & Yukon Hotel's Association, local municipalities and some service providers.
 
  Code of Practice for Wastewater Management at Food Sector Establishments
Trucked Liquid Waste
Trucking liquid waste for homes
Lower Mainland residents whose homes aren't connected to a municipal sanitary sewer are provided a wastewater disposal service by the Metro Vancouver. Wastewater collected in holding or septic tank systems used by the homeowner is periodically pumped out and transported for treatment at Trucked Liquid Waste (TLW) facilities located at the Northwest Langley, Annacis Island or Iona Island wastewater treatment plants.

Trucking liquid waste for industry
At its Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, Metro Vancouver treats sludge collected from commercial, industrial and institutional operations that operate wastewater pre-treatment systems at their business site. Pre-treatment systems are required for companies whose liquid wastes could disrupt normal operation of the regular sewer system if it wasn't treated before being discharged.

Terms and conditions
The organic materials collected must be pre-authorized for disposal by Metro Vancouver. This requires an application form to be completed and submitted for approval before the waste can be collected and disposed of at the facilities. All waste is manifested by the carrier and is reviewed by an attendant before disposal. The waste carriers are charged a fee at the TLW facilities based on type of discharge (rates effective June 1, 2008): 

  • Domestic - $6.93 / m3
  • Non-Domestic - $73.23 / m3

On March 1, 2010, the disposal fees will increase to the following:

  • Domestic - $7.62 / m3
  • Non-Domestic - $86.40 / m3

Trucked Liquid Waste Forms


If you would like further information about Metro Vancouver's Liquid Waste Regulatory program, please contact us by phone at 604-432-6200 or by email at regulationenforcement@metrovancouver.org.
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