Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
ENVIRONMENT

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: Liquid Waste Management Plan: Policies and Commitments

RECOMMENDATION

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 (CSO).

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.

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

PURPOSE

This report recommends Council’s endorsement of the LWMP Stage 2 Policies and Commitments report which is to be submitted, for approval, to the GVRD board in November and to the Province a short time later.

BACKGROUND

In accordance with the provincial Waste Management Act (WMA), the GVRD began a process to develop a LWMP to regulate liquid waste discharges in the region in 1986. The Stage 1 report was completed and forwarded to the Province in 1989. In response to the submission, the Province mandated a number of measures including: the provision of secondary treatment at the Annacis and Lulu Island (albeit contrary to the recommendations of the submission); fast tracking of CSO reductions; implementation of a regional source control program; and implementation of an environmental assessment program.

Since that time, considerable effort has been expended throughout the Region in meeting these requirements including construction of secondary treatment at Annacis Island and Lulu Island, improved source control bylaws and enforcement and CSO reductions through sewer separation and operational improvements. In Vancouver, these efforts have resulted in CSO reductions of 30% overall and 40% at Clark Drive. Environmental assessments of treatment plant and storm outfalls have also been performed leading to an improved understanding of the impacts of these outfalls on their receiving waters.

In 1995, a revised cost allocation agreement was approved which details the cost sharing of regional sewer system improvements between regional or local sewerage areas. For example, Tier 2 costs (secondary and tertiary sewage treatment plant upgrading) are shared across the region as compared to Tier 1 costs (collection system, primary treatment and operating costs) which are borne by the sewerage area.

In 1996, the GVRD Board, gave approval to undertake the Stage 2 LWMP report. Over the past three years, a number of technical advisory committees were established to examine in greater detail the range of liquid waste issues in the region. This committee work is now complete, reports are written and a document which outlines the policies and commitments which the region and its municipalities are prepared to undertake is attached (LIMITED DISTRIBUTION).

This report is being submitted to all municipalities in the GVRD for approval prior to submission to the regional Sewerage Committee and GVRD board. After approval from the Sewerage Committee in October, and the GVRD Board in November, this document will beincluded in the overall LWMP submission to the Province. Provincial approval of the LWMP allows the region to discharge sewage above the limits permited in the Waste Management Act. Notwithstanding Provincial approval, the LWMP may still contravene Federal Fisheries Act.

DISCUSSION

Although the LWMP is a joint collaboration between the GVRD and its member municipalities, its impact on Vancouver should be viewed from two perspectives. The first is the area of the LWMP for which the City has jurisdiction and pays the majority cost. This includes the collection of liquid waste and storm water and CSOs. The second is the areas for which the Regional District has jurisdiction, namely treatment and source control, which the City pays a share based on a regional cost formula.

In the LWMP, the City of Vancouver is committed to eliminating CSOs by replacing the combined sewer system with a separated sewer system This initiative has been underway since the 1970's and Council has approved a policy to replace 1% of the system per year. This policy has been incorporated into the LWMP as a commitment to virtually eliminate CSOs by the year 2050. Presently, Council provides funding for this work through the sewer capital program. By endorsing this commitment, it is understood that funding will be provided through to the year 2050 in accordance with the LWMP. As this capital funding has been provided historically since the 1970's, and as the proportion of spending is relatively the same from year to year, there is no impact on funding by agreeing to this commitment. Council should be aware that its policy, along with operational improvements
undertaken by the GVRD, has been responsible for the improvement of aquatic quality in English Bay, False Creek and Vancouver Harbour. CSOs have been reduced 30% overall and 40% at Clark Drive in recent years. With a 1% sewer separation rate, the City has avoided more costly CSO control alternatives.

Vancouver is also committing to a principle of Best Management Practices which includes several other initiatives which have already been implemented by the City including catch basin cleaning, rain barrels, on-site storage, reduction of impervious areas and other initiatives which aim at reducing stormwater peak flows which are the main cause of CSOs. As these items are already part of the City’s program, there is no impact on funding until such time as Council adopts a change to these.

The LWMP also commits the City to consider some additional CSO control over the next 5 years. This includes addressing environmental issues at Clark Drive. These projects if approved, would be financed through the City’s sewers capital fund or the GVS&DD budget.

The other major component of the LWMP is sewage treatment.

The GVRD has prepared the LWMP on the basis of scientific testing and environmentalmonitoring of local water bodies. This has led to an understanding that existing treatment plants are generally not adversely affecting aquatic environments. However, in order to meet existing permit requirements and growth, more work is needed to maintain or reduce the concentration or toxicity of plant effluent. To address this, the report commits the GVRD to source control with discharge limits and fees, enhanced primary treatment at Iona and Lions Gate and disinfection at Annacis, Northwest Langley and Lulu Island Treatment Plants.

While the above programs are fairly modest in value, there is a risk that further, and much more costly, upgrades to GVRD facilities may be mandated by Federal or Provincial authorities under Environmental or Fisheries legislation. These include secondary treatment at Iona and Lions Gate Sewage Treatment Plants and enhanced secondary treatment at Annacis and Lulu Island Sewage Treatment Plants.

These latter upgrades to local facilities would have a major financial impact on the City. However, as stated in policy 2 in the attached report, any upgrade in service levels will be considered in relation to environmental need, cost versus benefit and other regional priorities.

CONCLUSION

The LWMP Stage 2 “Policies and Commitments” report summarizes the conclusions of the LWMP technical committees and the recommendations resulting from that work. It provides policy statements and commitments for the GVRD and the City of Vancouver.

The commitments made on behalf of Vancouver involve policies which the City already has in place which have no impact on funding, such as continuation of the sewer separation program. Council will neet to commit to the sewer separation strategy of replacing 1% of the sewer system on an annual basis until CSOs are eliminated.

Commitments made by the GVRD on behalf of the region, such as treatment plant upgrades at the Iona and Lions Gate, will impact Vancouver financially. If the LWMP is approved as submitted the additional costs to Vancouver are believed to be reasonable. However, if the Provincial or Federal Governments mandate further upgrades to any of the treatment plants, the financial impact could be considerable.

It is important that any major project, such as secondary treatment upgrades, be balanced against other regional priorities.

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