It may not be the most popular topic of conversation when it comes to municipal services, but wastewater and sewer systems are not only important infrastructure, they cost a fair bit to maintain and repair.
The Town of Canmore’s sewer bylaw is over 20 years old and overdue for an update, according to manager of public works Andreas Comeau, who presented the proposed new version to council earlier this month.
While the intent of the bylaw is the same according to Comeau, there are substantial changes to the content of it being considered, including increased fines, clearer language and additions administration feels are required to better protect the sewer infrastructure and environment.
In particular, he said, the changes aim to improve how industry in Canmore uses the sewer system and prevent the release of harmful wastewater into it.
“Some improvements to the bylaw are around industry,” he said. “We do not have a lot of industry in the community, but some can have an impact on the system so we need a mechanism in place for that.”
Last year the municipality undertook a public education campaign called the Epic Poo Race to inform the public about what it should and should not put down their drains, or flush down the toilet. The issue for municipal operations is that things like wet wipes, dental floss and Q-tips clog sewer pipes and are costly to the system overall.
In addition to residential education, Comeau said staff have been engaging the food and beverage industry about the volume of fats and oils going into the wastewater system. Fats and oils, he said, cause the most grief for the system and the bylaw sets out to make it clearer that all food establishments must have a grease trap.
“We have really spelled it out that commercial food businesses will require an interceptor, or what is commonly called a grease trap,” he said.
The changes include requirements that owners obligated to have an interceptor also have to keep all manuals and instructions for installing and maintaining the equipment, keep a maintenance record for at least two years and provide those records to municipal staff upon request.
“It is a good practice to get into tracking the level of servicing – we do not have those tools in the current bylaw,” Comeau said.
Contravention of the bylaw comes with a minimum penalty of $250, unless otherwise specified, and peace officers are authorized to issue violation tickets. For food establishments in particular, failing to have a grease trap comes with a $750 fine, while failing to maintain one or keep a record of maintenance is also a $750 fine.
The bylaw includes schedules of prohibited and restricted materials, in addition to specified penalties.
But awareness of what is prohibited and restricted was a concern for council, with Mayor John Borrowman suggesting education first.
“What I am thinking about is the need for an education approach for existing businesses to put it on their radar,” he said.
Comeau said it is difficult to exhaustively list what would be prohibited, which is why the bylaw includes a general statement that “the purpose of this bylaw is to provide for the safe disposal of wastewater, and to provide mechanism to address damage and/or misuse of the sewage system.”
He added that when businesses approach the municipality for new permits, that would be a time and place to engage them on what substances are part of their operations that should not be going down the drain.
“Existing businesses or new businesses should be aware of what they will generate as waste,” Comeau said. “When we come back (with the bylaw) we will talk about what that education looks like. That is the first step – we want to educate people.”
