#2: Recommended Pre-registration Activities

#2 — Recommended Pre-registration Activities to be Undertaken Prior to Registering a Municipal Sewage Discharge with the Ministry of Environment

First Issued: August 1999
Last Updated: January 2005

Introduction

The Municipal Sewage Regulation (MSR) and Amendments to the Regulation in April, 2006 and in October, 2006 provide requirements that, if met by dischargers of municipal sewage or providers of reclaimed water, will ensure that their activity is not prohibited by sections 6 (2) and 6 (3) of the Environmental Management Act. In other words, compliance with the MSR provides authorization for a discharge of municipal sewage or use of reclaimed water in British Columbia.

Exemption from permits

In order to be exempt from having to obtain a permit under the Environmental Management Act, discharges must be authorized by a liquid waste management plan approved by the minister or a regulation. The MSR establishes an exemption for dischargers from having to obtain a permit, provided they meet certain conditions; namely, the discharge is registered and ongoing compliance with the regulation is demonstrated.

Pre-registration activities

The ministry recommends that a pre-registration meeting between the discharger and the Regional Environmental Protection Manager (the manager) be held prior to the formal registration of a discharge. The sooner this meeting is held the better and it should ideally be held at least 60 days before registration.

Prior to the pre-registration meeting, it is recommended that dischargers:

become familiar with the content of the regulation. They may wish to seek legal opinion as to their rights and obligations under the Environmental Management Act and the regulation;
ensure their proposal will meet the requirements of the regulation; and
be aware of and satisfy any local government, other provincial ministries and federal government requirements. For example, local governments generally have land use authority and it is highly recommended that the appropriate land use approvals for the project be sought prior to registering a discharge.

The pre-registration meeting is intended to provide an opportunity for dischargers to:

describe the proposed discharge to the manager;
confirm the requirements in the regulation;
confirm the appropriate level of detail required for the environmental impact studies, construction, operating plans, operator requirements and monitoring;
confirm whether security applies to the discharge and, if so, consider which option to select; and
if required, obtain direction from the manager regarding contact with other agencies.

The pre-registration meeting is an opportunity for the manger to:

identify any concern with the proposal;
determine whether additional requirements or more stringent standards are likely; and
provide input into the terms of reference for the environmental impact study.

Disclaimer

This guidance document does not replace the Environmental Management Act or its regulations. It does not list all provisions relating to municipal sewage discharges. If there are differences or omissions in this document, the act and regulations apply.

For more information, contact the Environmental Management Branch.

Updated: August 2008