Water Pollution Control In Ontario (1967)

Mr. J. R. Barr, Director,
Division of Sanitary Engineering
Ontario Water Resources Commission

Introduction

The subject “Water Pollution Control” is a very topical one of today. While basic to the very survival of man in his environment, its importance as a whole has increased in recent years affecting not only our personal lives but also our nation’s environment and prosperity.

Our ancestors settled in unspoiled land of unlimited resources — a land easily capable of absorbing the wastes of its human population. Nourished, however, by these same resources the human inhabitants have multiplied greatly and have grouped themselves to form giant urban concentrations. In and around the urban concentrations , there has developed the vast and productive industrial and agricultural establishments upon which, in a large measure, our economy is based. This advance in development has highlighted the problem both with respect to water supply and the subject today, “Pollution Control”.

In the limited time available, I will outline the basic objective of our water pollution control program in Ontario, review the immediate history of the subject, provide detail on four basic provincial programs and present some observations on future activities.

Objective of Water Pollution Control Program

It is the basic objective of the Province that its water resources be utilized wisely in the best interests of its people. This requires the restoration and maintenance of water quality for the greatest possible use. Toward this need, the provincial water pollution control program takes into consideration the use and value of water resources for the public, agriculture and industrial water supplies, propagation of fish and wildlife, recreational purposes, aesthetic enjoyment and other legitimate uses. This objective must be made in the face of the increased urban and industrial development as mentioned previously.

History of Pollution Control in the Province

I shall now endeavor to trace the problems which have developed within this Province with respect to water pollution control as direct consequence of population expansion and industrial development. In the last 20 years, the population of the Province has almost doubled and practically all this expansion has taken place in urban areas supporting industrialization.

In the late forties, the growing population demanded new housing and industry. The demand for housing outstripped the ability of municipal agencies to provide adequate new or expanded sewage treatment facilities. As a consequence, existing sewage treatment plants were soon operating beyond their capacity and extensive use was made of septic tank sewage disposal systems. In many instances, the soil conditions were unsatisfactory leading to the malfunctioning of the septic tank systems resulting in pollution problems. Industry also was seriously handicapped in providing adequate treatment facilities because of the lack of both land for the construction of septic tank systems and sewer systems capable of receiving its wastewater.

Ascertaining that large scale development on septic tank disposal systems was not fully satisfactory, a rash of temporary and small sewage treatment works were constructed in the late forties and early fifties. It was soon found that subdivision developers were incapable or not interested in adequately providing for the future operation of the multitude of small plants. Compounding the problem, municipalities were often unable to finance sewage collection and treatment works to correct the problems indicated above.

In 1955, a special investigating committee was established by the Province to look into the water pollution control and water supply situation. A number of hearings were held in various parts of the Province and a great deal of information was gathered. In 1956, as a result of the report made by the committee, the government introduced in the Ontario Legislature Bill No, 98 entitled “The Act to Establish a Water Resources Commission”. The Act came into effect on March 28, 1956.

At the 1957 Session of the Ontario Legislature, the Act of 1956 was replaced by Bill No, 164 entitled “The Ontario Water Resources Commission Act, 1957”, the latter Act greatly widening the scope of the Commission’s program and at the same time setting out certain procedures. It transferred from The Public Health Act a number of sections pertaining to water and sewage works and it also transferred from the Department of Mines the supervision over well drilling operations. Emphasis was placed upon the construction of water and sewage projects for municipalities, and new authority was given to control the pollution of waterways with a view to conserving and developing the water resources of the Province. This legislation came into effect on April 3, 1957.

Pollution Control Program

The functional water pollution control program will be reviewed under four separate but interrelated activities:

1. Water quality surveys designed to monitor water quality and develop water quality objectives and guidelines;
2. Pollution surveys designed to detect sources of pollution and initiate corrective action;
3. Development and regulation of wastewater treatment facilities; and
4. Applied research,

1. Water Quality Surveys

The water quality surveys program is designed to co-ordinate and provide direction to the many water pollution control investigations and programs being undertaken. As previously stated, the basic objective of any pollution control program is to ensure that the water resources of the Province are utilized wisely in the best interests of its people. Any treatment works developed, is only valid as it is related to the water quality in our streams, rivers and lakes.

Investigations in the program include the monitoring of water quality in the provincial lakes and streams, and surveys leading to the forecast of water quality under various combinations of water use on specific river basin systems.

The water quality monitoring program is designed to provide quality data on monthly, seasonal and annual variations at selected sampling points throughout the Province. This program now covers 390 stations. To augment the manually collected water quality data, one robot monitor capable of measuring 8 parameters simultaneously on a continuous basis is now in operation. It is proposed to increase the automatic robot monitor program by the installation of four additional units with telemetering to Toronto, storage on tapes, and the assessment of data with the aid of computers.

The monitoring program also includes a special radiological study of areas where problems associated with the mining and processing of uranium may develop.

The water quality analysis and forecast program is designed to define the self-purification capacity of streams in the assimilation of wastewater. Analysis of field data enables the development of mathematical models which permits the forecast of water quality variations under specific conditions of wastewater loading, water temperature and stream flows. In plain language, the program is designed to provide answers to municipalities and industry as to the degree of wastewater treatment required and where the treated waste may be discharged without adversely affecting downstream water uses. The information collected from the monitoring program and waste assimilation work must be related to water quality criteria or guidelines. At the present time, policy guidelines have been adopted for water quality objectives for Provincial waters. A committee is now working to provide minimum quality control requirements. Without the basic water quality surveys program and its relation to water quality objectives, other programs, which will be detailed later, would often be misdirected providing overly restrictive guidelines or, on the other hand, allow the degradation of our waterways even though a specified degree of wastewater treatment is provided.

In addition to the monitoring program, a special Great Lakes survey is now being undertaken in conjunction with the International Joint Commission. The program is designed to supply data on water quality conditions in the lower Great Lakes and interconnecting waters. Included in the program is a study to determine the nutrient and organic inputs. The data collected in the program will provide a basis for the forecasting of pollution control requirements of the lakes and tributary drainage basins.

2. Pollution Surveys

In all inhabited developed areas of the Province, pollution surveys have been performed by field staff of the Ontario Water Resources Commission. The surveys include the cataloguing of sewer outfalls and the sampling of any effluent waters being discharged to our watercourses. Reports resulting from the surveys are directed to the responsible authority, usually municipal, which is responsible for offending discharges, with the request that remedial action be undertaken to re direct the wastes to more adequate wastewater treatment facilities. As required, meetings are held with the responsible authority whereby the extent of the pollution problem is outlined and methods of solution are reviewed. The pollution survey program in itself is basic in nature. However, without this type of approach, little headway could be made in controlling water quality in the Province. The very nature of the program which includes the individual sampling and cataloguing of all wastewater discharges, provides some clue as to the great deal of work that is required in this important function.

3. Wastewater Treatment Facilities

There are two basic programs for the development and regulation of wastewater treatment facilities. One program, which will be reviewed here, is the municipal wastewater treatment function. The industrial wastes program is being reviewed at the concurrent industrial session. There are many facets in the municipal program, including the Provincial financing of individual and joint sewage works schemes, the area planning of joint works , the design approval of sewage works which are to be installed in the Province, and the routine inspection of operating wastewater treatment facilities.

The Ontario Water Resources Commission Act, 1957, greatly widened the scope of the program previously undertaken by the Sanitary Engineering Division of the Ontario Department of Health. Among other things, emphasis was placed on the financing and construction of sewage projects by the O. W. R. C. , providing a solution to pollution problems, where in the past, limited knowledge and financing had restricted the installation of adequate facilities. In the first ten years of operation, 1957-1967, 225 municipal sewage works projects have been financed and constructed by the O.W.R.C. at a total estimated capital cost of $118-1/2 million. In this same period, over $900 million have been spent on sewage works across the Province.

By the year 1964, because of the acceleration in the construction of sewage works, a marked improvement in pollution control in Ontario was observed. However, there were still a number of municipalities in need of facilities which could not go forward either on the basis of their own financing or under that of the O. W. R. C. because of their inability to assume the capital debt involved. It was for this reason that the Government of Ontario in 1964 and 1965, introduced further measures whereby the authority of the O. W. R. C. was expanded to permit the construction of sewage works on the basis of permanent Provincial ownership, with the municipality signing the service contract for its sewage treatment requirements, developed on a gallonage basis. Provincial projects of this nature are now being planned all over the Province. No less than 140 Provincial sewage works projects have been accepted by the Commission to date. Two advantages of the Provincial program are the provision of deferred financing for oversizing of works designed to meet future needs, and the provision of long-term financing at Provincial borrowing rates. Also, greater flexibility is provided when a number of municipalities are served on a joint basis. This type of area approach is most important when municipalities are located on inadequate receiving
waters, requiring the use of long trunk sewers.

Realizing the importance of regional water and sewage works schemes, a new branch was established in the O. W. R. C. to report on the provision of water supply and pollution control facilities on an area or watershed basis. The studies include the review of population and land use trends available from numerous sources to provide an insight into future pollution control requirements. It is expected that the studies performed by the Branch will be utilized as a guideline for the development of Provincial area sewage works installations. Also, guidance will be provided to areas where individual municipal action may be deemed more feasible.

One of the provisions of The Ontario Water Resources Commission Act is a requirement that sewage works being constructed in the Province must be approved by the Commission before they are constructed. This provision ensures that adequate sewage treatment facilities are provided to meet the needs of the area to be served and that the treated wastes are directed to adequate receiving waters. The extent of the approval program is indicated by the number of applications handled in 1966. During this year, 1079 certificates were issued at an estimated cost of the approved works of 107 million dollars, A further control which is provided on the development of sewage works is the approval of subdivisions required by the Ontario Department of Municipal Affairs. Before approving a subdivision, the Department submits plans of proposed development to a number of agencies including the Department of Health and the O. W. R, C. for examination. In this way, new development is directed to areas where adequate wastewater treatment facilities will be available.

When sewage treatment works have been constructed, a routine inspection program is provided to ensure that they are operated in such a way as to provide a satisfactory effluent. During 1966, 1463 routine and special inspections were made of wastewater treatment works by the field staff of the Ontario Water Resources Commission.

4. Applied Research

The O. W. R. C. is studying existing wastewater treatment facilities to devise methods of improving treatment, and examining new methods of wastewater handling.

Modifications to existing processes may possibly be made which will increase the pollutant removal efficiency of the process. An example of this is a modified activated sludge type process first carried out in the United States and now being investigated for possible application in Ontario. The process is designed to remove phosphates from sewage.

A new process unit developed in Europe has been proposed for use in small municipalities and an evaluation of it has been carried out by the O.W. R. C. prior to its acceptance in Ontario.

The O. W. R. C. investigates the application of commercially available equipment to processes for the treatment of wastewater. This has been of special interest in improving effluent treatment at existing plants.

Studies of nutrition are a prerequisite to the control of aquatic nuisance organisms and the Commission has several monitoring and research programs underway to determine the nutrient levels in our natural waters and also to determine the nutritional levels which will lead to the propagation of aquatic organisms. As part of this program, a continuing sampling routine is being carried out in the Trent Canal system to determine the extent of nutrient migration through the system. Programs are also underway to determine the source of nutrients reaching our waters.

With the determination of amounts, types and sources of nutrients, and the development of suitable removal processes, it will become possible to control algal growths by either eliminating the nutrients at their source or if this is not feasible, removing them by treatment at sewage treatment plants. This, however, is still in the future and in the interim the O. W.R. C. is carrying out programs to control or eliminate algae which now exist. These include studies of control chemicals and methods of harvesting. Both methods have been tried and on the too common algae “Cladophora” have shown promise but require further development.

Future Activities

It is evident that when dealing with large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes and the many river basins in the Province, piece-meal, short term planning cannot ensure continuous availability of water with a high quality. The commonly accepted notion that our waters have an unlimited capacity for dilution of all sorts of drainage waters has been proven wrong and must be rejected. Rather, the planning effort in relation to persistent slow decaying pollutants must become preventive- oriented as large-scale problems, once permitted to develop, become almost impractical to correct. Therefore, future investigations will be geared to defining long-term quality trends and specific plans for pollution control.

In accordance, therefore, with a re-statement of its policy for Water Use in Ontario, the O. W. R. C. intends to establish limits for each source of wastewater in keeping with the long-term water needs within the tributary drainage basins. This is a policy which will take account of the many beneficial uses of water including: public and industrial water supplies, recreation and aesthetics, fish, aquatic life and wildlife and agriculture. The needs for each of these uses will be established and protected by ensuring that reasonable use is made of natural waters for wastewater disposal.

The task in the immediate future will be to develop comprehensive pollution control programs. Increased emphasis will be placed on improved surveillance and forecasting the effects of pollutants on the rivers in Ontario and the Great Lakes and defining the magnitude and benefits of required pollution control programs.

When established limits have been set for each source of wastewater in keeping with the long-term water needs within the tributary drainage basin, action will be required to establish the necessary treatment works. Research and development will be required to provide treatment processes capable of meeting the established standards. This will include the need for removing nutrients, toxic trace organic contaminants and disease-causing bacteria, parasites and viruses. There still will remain the need for improving normal treatment processes which are designed for the removal of oxygen-consuming contaminants and suspended solids.

With the problems of forecasting treatment requirements and providing treatment processes capable of removing the contaminants both being solved, there will still remain the need for continual revision of methods of financing and developing individual and joint wastewater treatment facilities that are within the financial capabilities of the taxpayer. The new Provincial method of financing is now in its infancy and further experience is required before the overall effectiveness of the new program may be determined. With the inclusion of the sewage collection facilities in the Provincial financing program for small municipalities, it is expected that the great number of remaining municipal sewage problems can be eliminated.

Summary and Conclusions

From the foregoing, it will be apparent what problems of pollution control are being given increasing attention in the Province of Ontario, As the Province further develops and its wastewaters increase in volume and complexity, more scientific programs will be required to forecast wastewater treatment requirements to maintain our basic objective of using our water resources wisely. With a forecast of requirements, a parallel research program is required to develop wastewater treatment processes which are capable of removing nutrient, organic, pathogenic, and toxic materials from wastewaters.

If our water resources are to be protected, it is obvious that sources of pollution must be controlled. Negligent municipalities will be required to undertake adequate treatment of their wastes. With the additional methods of financing which are now available to municipalities for the construction of treatment facilities, compromises in the degree of treatment can no longer be permitted. Pollution control requires large expenditures but it is cheaper in the long run to prevent pollution than to attempt to remedy it when it has taken place.

While I have indicated the need for the development of new and improved methods of treatment, meaningful water quality criteria, and improved methods of forecasting treatment requirements, nothing would be accomplished if no action were taken until all the answers were obtained. Therefore, the Province is proceeding with a comprehensive inter-related pollution control program using the tools now available. This is to ensure that our water resources are utilized wisely. At the same time, an active research program and the continual improvement of the survey and forecasting functions are being pursued to meet the needs of the future.