Wastewater in Ontario: The ECO's perspective on onsite and decentralized wastewater management

Transcription

1 Wastewater in Ontario: The ECO's perspective on onsite and decentralized wastewater management Michelle Kassel Senior Manager, Legislative Analysis Environmental Commissioner of Ontario April 17, 2018

2 Overview 1. Short introduction about the ECO 2. Some environmental issues relevant to wastewater industry 3. How the wastewater industry can reduce environmental impacts 4. The Environmental Bill of Rights toolkit 2

3 1. About the ECO

4 Who is the ECO? Impartial, independent watchdog Guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights Non-partisan, reliable reports to the Legislature Environment Climate Change Energy Special/Other 4

5 Find them here (eco.on.ca) 5

6 2. Environmental issues relevant to wastewater industry

7 Environmental issues: algae blooms Photo credit: NASA. 7

8 Algae blooms becoming more frequent and widespread Source: NOAA,

9 Algae growth Nutrients, especially phosphorus, are key ingredient in algae growth Major sources of nutrients: Run-off from farm and urban lands from fertilizers, animal wastes, and sewage sludge Sewage treatment plants Septic systems Excessive nutrient loads can drastically alter the quality of lakes/streams and degrade aquatic habitats. Photo credit: IISD Experimental Lakes Area Inc.

10 Sources of phosphorus: Lake Simcoe Example: Lake Simcoe Almost 12,000 cottages with septic systems Contribute approximately 4.4 tonnes of phosphorus/year 6.6% of total phosphorus load Source: MOECC. 10

11 For more on algae problem Chapter 4 of ECO s 2017 Environment Report 11

12 Environmental issues: drinking water ALL sources of drinking water should be protected 12

13 Environmental impacts: drinking water Wastewater can contaminate drinking water Chemicals, excessive nutrients and pathogens, like e. coli, in wastewater can have particularly severe impacts on drinking water Two potential pathways: Faulty septic or holding tanks Sewage sludge spread on farm fields Clean Water Act, 2006 Required mapping of vulnerable areas and identifying significant threats to municipal drinking-water sources Septic systems and spreading of septage both identified as potential threats that must be managed within vulnerable areas Does not address private wells (much of rural drinking water)

14 Environmental issues: climate change

15 Climate change: does your industry need to adapt? Projected warmer winters, more extreme temperatures Expect more intense storms (heavy winds, rain, snow, ice storms) Projected winter temperature change ( vs average) Source: Natural Resources Canada/MNRF 15

16 Wastewater is a small but not insignificant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) Breakdown of Ontario GHG emissions. Source. Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Inventory Report : Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada, Part 2 (2017). 16

17 How does wastewater contribute to climate change? As the organic matter in wastewater decomposes, it releases carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and more significantly methane Methane is produced under anaerobic conditions (i.e., where oxygen is not present), such as in septic tanks Methane is a very potent GHG, 86 times more damaging than CO 2 (over a 20- year period) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is also released from wastewater N 2 O is released during wastewater treatment through ammonia removal processes N 2 O is another very potent GHG, up to 300 times more potent than CO 2 17

18 How much GHG does the wastewater industry emit? Wastewater treatment sector reports emitting ~320,000 tonnes of GHG emissions (CO 2 eq) per year Mostly N 2 O (plus methane from septic systems and lagoons) But this is an underestimate: Only includes methane emissions from anaerobic systems (such as lagoons and septic tanks) Discounts the substantial methane emissions from municipal wastewater systems (aerobic, but have anaerobic pockets) Methane emissions could be up to 22% higher Excludes all CO 2 emissions, but some should be included (i.e., from detergents) Including these CO 2 emissions could increase facility emissions by up to 23%. Chapter 3 of ECO s 2017 Energy Report 18

19 3. Reducing environmental impacts of wastewater

20 Any treatment reduces impacts Centralized wastewater systems Can provide more advanced treatment Decentralized wastewater systems Can provide enhanced treatment over septic system alone Onsite septic systems Generally provides less active treatment Large central system for large communities Higher capital and operating costs Requires network of sewer pipes Communal/cluster system for smaller/rural communities Medium capital and operating costs Individual systems for rural properties Lower capital and operating cost 20

21 Each type of treatment has pros and cons Centralized systems Advanced treatment can remove more contaminants especially important for industrial sewer users Creates one large point-source discharges treated wastewater from a single outfall into lake/river Duffin Creek example one massive outfall More energy-intensive cost and GHG implications May take water out of the watershed Decentralized systems May not provide same level of treatment as centralized system Produces more methane (anaerobic) Uses less energy Keeps wastewater within the watershed Treated effluent can recharge groundwater and maintain stream flow

22 Reducing impacts: realize potential of decentralized systems Potential to reduce environmental impacts by moving from individual septic systems to enhanced treatment by decentralized systems In 2010, ECO stated: Ontario is ripe for a policy discussion on the relative merits, appropriate uses, implications and barriers of using decentralized wastewater treatment Facilitate approvals process Ownership and ongoing maintenance U.S. EPA has guidelines for decentralized wastewater treatment systems, but no such guidance exists in Ontario

23 Reducing the impacts: maintenance and inspections Periodic inspections can ensure systems are properly operating 23

24 Reducing the impacts: regular maintenance Whether centralized, decentralized or onsite systems, regular maintenance is crucial to ensure proper functioning Includes planning, siting, design, installation, operation, maintenance and monitoring Septic tanks need to be periodically pumped to remove accumulated sludge and solids (frequency depends on use, size and condition of septic tank) Well-maintained septic systems that properly treat sewage reduce potential of pathogens getting into soil, groundwater or surface water Ongoing operation and maintenance can be more of a challenge with onsite and decentralized systems because this role often rests with private individuals (versus municipally-owned centralized treatment plants) Responsibility for communal sewage services can be transferred to municipality 24

25 Reducing the impacts: septic inspections Regular inspections can determine whether a septic system is functioning properly Re-inspection programs can help inspectors identify faulty or leaking systems before they cause serious ground and surface water pollution problems Where systems are not functioning, inspectors can require the owner to repair or replace the system 25

26 Septic inspections in practice Currently, septic inspection programs are only required in certain parts of the province within 100 meters of Lake Simcoe or other water bodies in the Lake Simcoe watershed; or lands within vulnerable areas as defined under the Clean Water Act, Outside of mandatory areas, only a small percentage of municipalities are voluntarily re-inspecting septic systems after installation 26

27 Septic inspections and maintenance The ECO has repeatedly (2002, 2009, 2012) called for mandatory 5-year re-inspections of septic systems Septic System Re-inspections: A Good First Step (2012): ECO commended province on amendments to Building Code Act requiring septic inspection programs in some areas ECO urged the province to expand the reach of septic system inspection programs to other parts of the province that are vulnerable to loadings of nutrients water International Joint Commission 2018 progress report on Great Lakes Water Quality recommends: Periodic testing be required and enforceable standards for maintenance and replacement of septic systems be instituted in the United States and Canada. 27

28 Reducing the impacts: more treatment of septage We need to create alternatives to spreading untreated septage 28

29 Impacts of spreading untreated septage Ontario has struggled for years about what to do with the volumes of hauled sewage (a.k.a. septage sludge pumped from septic tanks, holding tanks and portable toilets) Total volume of septage in Ontario estimated at 4 million m 3 per year Some is taken to municipal treatment plants or sewage lagoons Some is applied (spread) untreated on agricultural land A small quantity is disposed in landfill Land application of untreated hauled sewage is subject to an environmental compliance approval (Environmental Protection Act) and Clean Water Act, but can still pose a risk to surface and groundwater e.g., pathogens, excessive nutrients, oils and grease, etc. 29

30 Proposal to ban spreading of untreated sewage MOECC first proposed a ban on land application in 2002, but did not proceed due to lack of viable alternative destinations for the septage. MOECC is again examining options for managing hauled sewage MOECC s Pre-consultation on Ontario's Hauled Sewage Policy and Program, February 2017 (Environmental Registry # ) Considering geographic-based restrictions for areas with adequate treatment capacity Next step: MOECC will develop an updated policy and program framework for consultation 30

31 Where should hauled sewage go instead? Alternate options for hauled sewage: Further treatment at municipal treatment plant, compost facility, lagoon stabilization or other stabilization treatment process Anaerobic digestion use septage as a feedstock to create bioenergy Benefits: Reduce potential contamination to surface and ground water from untreated septage Create a beneficial product fertilizer and/or energy Recover nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) for beneficial reuse as safe, effective fertilizer substitute in landscaping and agriculture Reduce GHG emissions Certain ammonia capture technologies can decrease N 2 O emissions (compared to what would be released from untreated wastewater) Displace emissions from conventional fertilizer production and fossil fuel use 31

32 What if we treated sewage as a valuable resource, not a waste? 32

33 Sewage can be a good feedstock for biogas Chapter 8 of ECO s 2017 Energy Report 33

34 What can biogas power? Source: Wessex Water/Julian James Photography. Bio-bus in England showing where the fuel comes from Source: Wessex Water/Julian James Photography 34

35 4. The Environmental Bill of Rights

36 Ontario s Environmental Bill of Rights Environment is too important to be left only to government Creates tools for the public to participate and hold government accountable Gives the public the rights to: Know about significant environmental decisions Have a say on significant environmental decisions Ask for new environmental laws and policies Ask for enforcement of environmental rules Appeal environmental permits Creates the office of the ECO 36

37 The Environmental Registry Environmental Registry: Shows the public what ministries are working on New laws, regulations, policies and certain permits and approvals (and amendments to these) Lets the public comment before decisions are made Shows the comments of other people Shows how the ministry considered public comments Notifies public of appeal rights in the case of approvals and permits Long-awaited update to this web-tool is now in Beta

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39 Applications for Review and Investigation Any two Ontarians can submit an application asking: A ministry to create a new environmental law or policy, or review an existing environmental law, policy or instrument (Application for Review) A ministry to investigate and enforce an alleged contravention of an environmental law, regulation or instrument (Application for Investigation) The ministry must consider the application and provide a response, within legislated timelines Can elevate applicants concerns within the ministry The ECO will review ministry s handling of application ECO may report on application to the Ontario Legislature

40 Application for Review by OOWA/FOCA Application from the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association and the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association relating to the operation and maintenance of onsite septic systems The application requests: A review of the Ontario Building Code (Section 8.9, Operation and Maintenance), as this regulatory framework does not provide clear management requirements for onsite sewage systems (such as critical maintenance verification and record-keeping) sufficient to protect the environment and public health, or support evidence-based decisions for sustainable infrastructure investments. A review of the need for new provisions and/or a regulation under the Ontario Water Resources Act to govern the operation and maintenance of onsite septic systems. Including an assessment of the appropriateness of moving responsibility for oversight from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

41 Application for Review by OOWA/FOCA Application was sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (MMA) and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) ECO forwarded to ministries on February 27, 2018 Ministries must provide preliminary response (stating whether they will undertake the review or not) within 60 days of receiving application, i.e., by April 28, 2018 Ministries must consider whether the public interest warrants a review, by considering: the ministry s statement of environmental values the potential for harm to the environment if the review is not undertaken the fact that matters sought to be reviewed are otherwise subject to periodic review any social, economic, scientific or other evidence that the minister considers relevant the resources required to conduct the review, and any other matter that the minister considers relevant.

42 Questions? Download our reports at /OntarioEnvironmentalCommissioner 42