Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations Reported Data

The Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), developed under the Fisheries Act, came into force in 2012 to manage wastewater releases by systems that collect an average daily influent volume of 100 cubic metres or more. The WSER also does not apply to any wastewater system located in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and north of the 54th parallel in the provinces of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. The WSER set national baseline effluent quality standards that are achievable through secondary wastewater treatment. The regulations also specify requirements for carrying out effluent monitoring, reporting and record keeping.

These files contain information about each wastewater system as reported in the Effluent Regulatory Reporting Information System (ERRIS) by the owners/operators of each wastewater system subject to the WSER for the years 2013 to 2024. The datasets include wastewater system information such as treatment types and discharge point locations, concentrations of carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demanding matter and suspended solids, acute lethality test results, and volumes of effluent discharged from the final discharge point and from combined sewer overflow points.

The WSER dataset includes map layers that can be accessed from the Open Maps website or they can be linked to a geographic information system (GIS).

Data from Quebec and Yukon

The data for Quebec municipalities (after 2017) is provided to the department separately through the equivalency agreement that was finalized in October 2018. Combined sewer overflow volumes and acute lethality results are not included for Quebec municipalities as it is not included in the data provided under the equivalency agreement.

Beginning in 2015, the data reported for the Yukon is provided to the department separately through an equivalency agreement finalized in 2014. Acute lethality results are not included as part of the data provided by the Yukon under the equivalency agreement.

Supplemental Information

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) developed the Effluent Regulatory Reporting Information System for the owners of wastewater systems subject to the WSER to submit identification reports, on-going effluent monitoring reports, combined sewer overflow reports as well as transitional and temporary authorization applications. The reports are submitted to ECCC to assess compliance with the national effluent quality standards for carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demanding matter and suspended solids. Certain regulatees are also required to submit the results of acute lethality testing.

More information on the wastewater sector including the regulations, agreements, contacts and resource documents is available at: https://www.canada.ca/wastewater

Additional information and data on federal infrastructure funding for wastewater is available through Infrastructure Canada - see link “Infrastructure Canada Projects” in Data and Resources below.

Supplemental Information

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) developed the Effluent Regulatory Reporting Information System for the owners of wastewater systems subject to the WSER to submit identification reports, on-going effluent monitoring reports, combined sewer overflow reports as well as transitional and temporary authorization applications. The reports are submitted to ECCC to assess compliance with the national effluent quality standards for carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demanding matter and suspended solids. Certain regulatees are also required to submit the results of acute lethality testing.

 More information on the wastewater sector including the regulations, agreements, contacts and resource documents is available at: https://www.canada.ca/wastewater

 Supporting Projects: wastewater, regulations

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada