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April 2005 Green Facts Certificates of Approval - Industrial Sewage Works The Environmental Assessment and Approvals • industrial sewage lagoons and biological Branch (EAAB) ofthe Ministry ofthe treatment plants for food processing industries; Environment issues"Certificates ofApproval" • storm water management facilities for underthe Ontario WaterResourcesAct (OWRA) industrial sites; for industrial sewage works. Certificates of • quarry and mine dewateringsystems and wash Approval are required for facilities that discharge plants; contaminantsto ground and surface water. This • industrial wastewatertreatment systemsthat fact sheet provides information for prospective dischargeto surface waters, on thesurfaceof owners and operators ofindustrial facilities that the ground or into the ground water(those that disposewastewateror storm water to surfacewater are 10,000L/d orgreater); bodies, to the surface oftheground and to • river/harbourdredging projects with treatment groundwater. facilities on-shore; • groundwater remediation treatment systems, What requires approval? including mobile units; Section 53 ofthe Ontario WaterResourcesAct • land-based fish farms; requiresthat an approval must be obtained in order • landfill leachate treatment systems that to establish, alter, extend or replace any sewage dischargeto surface waters, on the surface of works. Sewage works aredefined as works used the ground or intothe ground water(thosethat forthecollection, transmission, treatment or are 10,000L/d or greater); disposal ofwastewater(not including plumbing, to • cooling waterdischarges, including discharges which the BuildingCodeAct, 1992 applies). from heat pump systems. Operations that require approval include but are The responsibility forobtaining approval forthe not limited to: construction and operation ofsewage works lies • industrial mechanical sewagetreatment plants; with theowner. Ifthe owner is a corporation, the • industrial sewage works with effluentspray person signing the application on behalfofthe irrigation; corporation must be someone who is specifically • API separators and biological wastewater authorized by the corporation to do so. Ifthe treatment systems foroil refining facilities; person signing the application is not an official of • subsurface flow wetland systems for rendering the corporation, the application must be and meatprocessing facilities; accompanied by a lettersigned by an official ofthe • Sequencing Batch Reactorwastewater corporation authorizingthe person to acton its treatment systems for pulp and paperand meat behalfforthat purpose. processing facilities; Ontario Protectingourcnvirnnnx'iil. PlBS4980e April 2005 Are thereexemptions to the requirementto How do I obtain a Certificate ofApproval? obtain a Certificate ofApproval? An application for aCertificate ofApproval must Specific exemptions for selected types ofsewage be submittedtothe EAAB formost industrial works equipment have been granted through sewage facilities. This application should include a legislation. The Approval Exemption regulation completed application form, the required made underthe OWRA (O. Reg 525/98) exempts application fee and any supporting information certain minorsewage works from the approval identified on the application form or in the requirements ofthe Act. These exempted works application guidance material. A copy ofthe includemainly alterations or replacementofsewer application form and supporting information piping orotherappurtenances that do not disrupt should also be submitted to the ministry's District the basic design and/or function ofthe sewage Office serving the area ofthe site. works: the intent is to maintain orreplace sewer Application forms, application guidance material systems in an existingcorridor. and contact information forthe ministry's District Offices are available from the EAAB and in the Theseexempted activities include: "Publications" section ofthe ministry web site at • changeofcracked ordamaged storm water www.ene.gov.on.ca . sewerpipes and culverts; • relining ofsewerpipe systems for maintenance What should 1 do before I apply for approval? purposes; Consultation is reccomended priorto the • minor re-routing ofsewersystems which do submission ofan application forapproval. Pre- notcause any disruption in theoperations of application consultation is a dialogue between the the system or changesthe design/functional applicant, the ministry, and possibly the public. intentofan approved system. Pre-application consultation is meant to assist applicants in definingthe environmental objectives There is also exception from approval requirements forthe project, such as effluent requirements, under Section 53 for: determining the requirements regarding characterisation ofthe source ofraw water, • a sewage works fi"om which sewage is not to identifying any special approval related drain or be discharged directly or indirectly requirements, and determining the need for public into aditch, drain or storm sewerora well, consultation/notification. lake, river, pond, spring, stream, reservoiror Pre-application consultation is required forall otherwaterorwatercourse -that are below a projects involving construction of certain capacity and that are located on the sewage/wastewatertreatment and disposal same lot or parcel ofland asthe residence or facilities, expansion or re-rating ofexisting otherbuilding or facility served by the works; facilities, major modifications/upgrades to existing • a privately-owned sewage works designed for facilities, and introduction ofan innovative the partial treatment ofsewage that is to drain technology. Also, depending on theirscope, it is or be discharged into asanitary sewer; recommended for less complex projects. • a sewage system that issubject to the Building Code Act, 1992: Applications should be filed at leastsix to eight weeks priorto the proposed start ofconstruction or • a drainageworks underthe DrainageActora modification ofthe sewage works equipment or sewage works where the main purposeofthe processes. The application review will take longer works is to drain land forthe purpose of agricultural activity; and ifthe proposal is complex in nature. It will also take longer ifadditional information is necessary • a drainage works underthe CemeteriesAct, the forproperassessment or ifthe proposal needs to be Public TransportationandHighway subjected to a public consultation orhearing ImprovementActor The RailwaysAct. process. April 2005 Applications arebest filed afterthe applicanthas addressed all local public concernsaboutthe proposal. What happens to my application once it is submitted? Applications arescreened forcompleteness by the EAAB. Incomplete applications may be returned atthe application processing stage. Applicants should receive acknowledgment ofreceipt oftheir applications within twoweeks ofsubmitting them. Public notification, ifrequired underthe EnvironmentalBill ofRights, is undertaken as part ofthe Certificate ofApproval application to the Ministry. EAAB will make the necessary EBR Registry posting butthe proponentmust undertake the required additional public notification required by the EBR. Applications are reviewed by engineers and technical staff in the ministry to assess if the application demonstrates compliance with the OWRA and applicable Regulations and Guidelines. The informationcontainedinthisdocumentis ofa generalnature onlyandisnot intendedto constitute adviceforanyspecificsituation. Please note that the texts ofmany Ontariostatutesand regulationsare available on the Internetat www,e-laws,sov.on.ca . Formore informationaboutCertificates of Approvalorto obtain anapplicationpackage, pleasecontact: Ministry ofthe Environment Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch 2 St. Clair Ave W, Floor 12A Toronto, ON M4V 1L5 Toll Free: 1-800-461-6290 Phone:416-314-8001 Fax:416-314-8452 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ene.gov.on.ca