Prevent the pollution of UBC’s sanitary sewer system and the environment, by routine and planned discharges from research, operations, and maintenance activities. Following approved procedures and guidelines will facilitate compliance with the applicable environmental requirements.
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Sanitary Sewer
What’s important from our regulators?
What are the sanitary sewer regulatory requirements?
What are the UBC sanitary sewer guidelines?
What is the UBC sanitary sewer procedure?
Sanitary Sewer
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What’s important from our regulators?
UBC’s wastewater is directed via our sanitary sewer to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is currently only a primary treatment plant (mechanically removes large solids from the wastewater effluent). After treatment, wastewater is discharged into the Strait of Georgia.
Metro Vancouver Liquid Waste Services have developed specific guidelines to assist industry and institutions in managing their wastewater safely and responsibly. These specific guidelines are applicable to research, teaching laboratories and art studios, and help eliminate or reduce pollution at its source.
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Post-Secondary Laboratories
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Post-Secondary Studios
All UBC labs must continue to review the contents of wastewater and how we dispose of it, as well as use the many sanitary sewer tools and best management practices. Watch this video and review the sections below to learn more.
What are the sanitary sewer regulatory requirements?
Discharges of hazardous materials, oil, grease and other materials to the sanitary sewer can:
- compromise the health and safety of staff managing the drain system
- damage the operation of the sewers and sewage facilities
- adversely impact the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of waste water treatment
- pose a risk to fish and the natural environment
Metro Vancouver’s Sewer Use Bylaw No. 299, 2007 regulates pollutants that are discharged into sanitary sewers and applies to the Greater Vancouver areas, and specifically to UBC’s Point Grey campus. This bylaw protects the environment as well as human health and safety. It specifies prohibited and restricted pollutant discharges and includes monitoring and permit requirements for non-domestic discharges.
Metro Vancouver’s Hospital Pollution Prevention Regulatory Program and the Hospital Pollution Prevention Bylaw No. 319, 2018 also apply to hospital locations and off-campus research facilities. This program and related bylaw aim to prevent pollution from daily operations and discharges such as pharmaceuticals, formalin and biomedical waste, that can negatively impact the wastewater system or water quality.
What are the UBC sanitary sewer guidelines?
UBC has planned and routine discharges to the sanitary sewer from research, operations, maintenance and construction activities at the Point Grey campus. SRS Environmental Protection assesses waste streams for fitness for discharge to the sanitary sewer, or determines if effluent needs to be disposed as hazardous waste.
Discharges from Operation, Maintenance and Construction activities:
e.g. pipe cleaning, surface cleaning, water main disinfection, neutralization of dilution tanks, vehicle washing, draining of water (pools, fountains, boilers, ice rinks, etc.)
UBC operators and contractors must manage wastewater safely and responsibly by following recommended best practices & industry guidelines developed by Metro Vancouver:
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Automotive Repair Industry
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Carpet Cleaning Industry
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Swimming Pools and Ice Rinks
- Guide to Managing Wastewater – Commercial Vehicle Washing Industry
Operators planning to discharge wastewater to the sanitary sewer system must apply for approval to discharge from SRS Environmental Protection. The required information includes: type/volume/temperature of liquid to be discharged, proposed location, expected duration and additional details. Certain discharges may require Metro Vancouver authorizations or permits.
Discharges from Laboratory Research and Teaching activities:
Drain disposal of aqueous solutions is prohibited. Assessments are required to determine if certain aqueous solutions are not hazardous or not regulated: if they exhibit any hazardous characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity) as defined by the BC Hazardous Waste Regulation, if not classified as hazardous under the federal Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulation, if not specifically classified as environmental hazards (e.g. marine pollutants or aquatic habitat toxicity), and if not specifically prohibited/restricted by Metro Vancouver’s Sewer Use Bylaw.
Things to note:
- SRS Environmental Protection will determine on a case-by-case basis if highly diluted laboratory aqueous solutions are hazardous or toxic to aquatic habitat.
- If any chemical components are listed as hazardous in the SDS, the mixture (aqueous solution) must be disposed as hazardous waste.
- Aqueous waste with high volume/frequency must also be assessed, regardless of chemical concentration(s).
- Corrosive waste (e.g. bleach) that does not exhibit any other hazards must be safely neutralized to an acceptable pH range (6-10) before sink disposal.