Storring Septic Service Limited - Environmental Compliance Approval (waste)

Description of instrument:

Hauled sewage, commonly known as septage, is the waste material removed from portable toilets, sewage holding tanks and septic systems. Untreated hauled sewage from holding tanks and septic tanks may be disposed of on land in accordance with an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) issued under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA).

Other Information:

• site location: 501 County Road 15, Tamworth Lot 10, Concession 7, Stone Mills Township
• application type: renewal
• total useable area: 27.5 hectares
• type of disposal: injection
• type of storage: four (4) holding cell lagoons

Highlights of proposed approval requirements:

Prior to operating at the site, the company shall develop written procedures covering the following:

• procedures for reporting to the ministry, and municipal authorities as required in the event a spill occurs at the site
• a list of the personnel responsible for operations at the site

The company shall ensure that all personnel involved in the operation of this hauled sewage disposal site are aware of the requirements of this approval and are trained in Spill Prevention.

Spills of a pollutant that cause or may cause an adverse effect are to be reported to the Ministry's Spills Action Centre and the company shall take appropriate remedial action to limit the impact. The company must ensure that no unnecessary off-site effects, such as vermin, vectors, odour, dust, litter, noise or traffic, result from the operation of this site.

Written records must be maintained in a log book that documents daily operations as well as any spills that occur and any complaints received.

The lagoons must be designed and constructed according to specified requirements set out in the approval.

The lagoons must be operated in accordance with specified requirements set out in the approval which include maximum volumes that can be put in the lagoon. Annual reports regarding the amount and source of hauled sewage stored in the lagoon, when the lagoon is emptied, the volume of materials removed and which fields the liquids and/or solids are taken for disposal. It shall also include and any problems that may have been experienced during the year and what actions were taken to resolve them.

Spreading site

No hauled sewage shall be spread or disposed of at the site when the ground is frozen, ice-covered or snow covered.

No hauled sewage shall be spread at the site under conditions where hauled sewage may runoff or discharge from the site.

Hauled sewage cannot be spread during winter months.

The approval sets out a maximum spreading rate. In addition, spreading cannot take place within specified distances of sensitive features such as surface water, wells or residences.

Spreading on fields with moderate to slow soil permeability and maximum sustained slopes of 6-9% will be conducted at a reduced application rate and only when crop residue or plant matter is present on the fields.

Spreading of hauled sewage is prohibited in areas of the site with a maximum sustained slope of greater than 9% on all permeable soils.

Prior to the spreading of hauled sewage, the operator shall ensure the useable spreading area is clearly flagged or digitally designated to clearly identify setbacks from sensitive features and any areas where spreading is not allowed.

No processed organic waste, grease trap waste or other waste, other than hauled sewage, shall be disposed of at the site.

Storage

The site contains four (4) earthen lagoon holding cells for the temporary storage of hauled sewage:

• cell 1 & 2 have a capacity of approximately 80,000 cubic feet (2,265 m³ or 2,265,347 L) each
• cell 3 & 4 have a capacity of approximately 90,000 cubic feet (2,549 m³ or 2,548,516 L) each

For a total site capacity of 340,000 cubic feet (9,627 m³).

All four cells have a compacted clay liner on the floors, walls, and surrounding berm.

The lagoons must be operated in accordance with specified requirements set out in the approval which include; maintaining the site in a secure manner, ensuring only hauled sewage is stored, maintaining a minimum freeboard, and undertaking weekly visual inspections of the dykes, volume, and loading and unloading area.

A closure plan shall be developed for the site and the site must be closed in accordance with the plan.

The following types of monitoring conditions will be required:

• groundwater quality will be analyzed at two (2) monitoring wells located down gradient from the spreading and storage site
• background groundwater quality will be analyzed at (1) monitoring well located up gradient of the storage site

Groundwater quality analysis will include:

• measuring water levels during high and low water table conditions
• sampling for chloride, nitrate, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), ammonia, total phosphorous, conductivity, biological oxygen demand, alkalinity, dissolved organic carbon, and pH

Financial Assurance will be required.

Other:

Prior to the spreading of hauled sewage, the operator is responsible for ensuring that all necessary approvals, licences or permits that may be required from other authorities, such as the local municipality, conservation authority, MNRF and OMAFRA, have been acquired.