POLICY REPORT
ENVIRONMENT

Date: June 12, 2001

Author/Local: S.McTaggart/7356

RTS# 02148

CC File No. 3753

Council: July 10, 2001

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: Liquid Waste Management Plan and Kerr Street Drainage Area

RECOMMENDATION

A. That Council adopt the amendments to the "Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Liquid Waste Management Plan, February 2001" as outlined in Addendum No. 1 in Appendix A, and

B. That Council advise the GVRD Board that Vancouver Council supports the disestablishment of the "Kerr Street Drainage Area" under the Greater Vancouver Sewerage & Drainage District (GVS&DD) Act.

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

In the early 1970s, Council approved the policy of separating sanitary and storm sewers, starting in the West End and Downtown areas, in order to begin reducing and eliminating combined sewer overflows.

In 1981, the sewer separation policy was reaffirmed with the adoption of the 1% life cycle replacement policy for sewer mains as part of the Sewers Long Range Capital Plan.

Both of these policies were reaffirmed in the 1991 Policy on Vancouver's "Design and Service Level Standards for Sewer Collection Infrastructure", and have been reaffirmed as part of every Capital Plan since.

In October 1999, Council approved continued funding of the sewer main separation program, to replace approximately 1% of the sewer system annually, to target elimination of combined sewer overflows by the year 2050.

In May, 2000, Council endorsed the Stage 2 Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) and in March, 2001, endorsed the Stage 3 LWMP for submission by the GVRD to the Province for approval.

Council has also previously approved a number of recommendations concerning the Liquid Waste Management Plan. Directions under the City Plan approved by Council include:

· consider environmental impacts when making decisions on land use, transportation, and City services;

· establish spending priorities for City and regional sewer, water and transportation improvements.

PURPOSE

This report summarizes and recommends adoption of two minor amendments to the Stage 3 LWMP that have been made by the GVRD. In addition, it recommends that the existing "Kerr Street Drainage Basin" be disestablished according to provisions outlined in the GVS&DD Act.

BACKGROUND

On March 13, 2001 Council endorsed the regional Stage 3 LWMP, dated February 2001, and recommended that the GVRD submit it to the Province for final approval. Following Council's endorsement of the Plan, the GVRD made two minor amendments prior to submitting it to the Province. The GVRD has requested that the member municipalities endorse these amendments.

In addition, the GVS&DD recently completed a review of its mandated drainage areas that were established at the request of member municipalities under the GVS&DD Act. In 1956,they established the Kerr Street Drainage Area. This area, shown in Appendix "B" along with other designated drainage areas in the region, was set up because it was considered a major drainage area at the time. On April 25, 2001, City staff received a request from the GVRD to disestablish this drainage area.

DISCUSSION

LWMP - Amendments

The two changes that have been made to the Stage 3 LWMP are in commitment C8 "Upgrading of the Iona Island and Lions Gate Treatment Plants" and commitment C15 " Combined Sewer Overflow Elimination". These amendments are attached in Appendix "A".

Commitment C 8 in the original February 2001 Plan stated that enhanced primary treatment will be used if upgrading is needed to maintain established base levels of treatment. The addendum requires the GVRD to consider the feasibility of commencing partial biological treatment as an alternative to enhanced primary treatment when plant upgrading is needed. In addition, it requires the first phase of biological treatment be initiated at these two plants when growth and concentration and loading levels are approaching the limits of the capability of enhanced primary treatment in order to meet the required discharge standards in the Plan. It is anticipated that this will occur between 2018 and 2028 at Iona and between 2030 and 2040 at Lions Gate.

The amendment to commitment C15, regarding the elimination of CSOs, requires the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminister to cooperate with the District to facilitate the District's committed work, which is outlined in the Plan.

City staff feel that both amendments are reasonable.

Kerr Street Drainage Area

Under the GVS&DD Act, the District can establish sewerage and drainage boundaries in order to carry out its duties. Under this authority they established the Kerr Street Drainage Area 45 years ago. To date, however, no GVS&DD facilities have been constructed in this area and none are anticipated in the future. The area is also relatively small and located entirely within the City of Vancouver. As a result, GVRD staff feel there is no need to keep this drainage area under their jurisdiction and they have recently requested our assistance to officially disestablish the drainage area.

Section 31 of the GVS&DD Act states that the Corporation "may from time to time disestablish or alter the boundaries of such sewerage and drainage areas." Accordingly, staff recommend that Council advises the GVRD Board that they support the disestablishment of the Kerr Street Drainage Area under the GVS&DD Act.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver