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BYLAW 38-2017
SEWER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM BYLAW
(Consolidated November 19, 2024)
A BYLAW OF STRATHCONA COUNTY, IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, TO
ESTABLISH TERMS FOR PROVIDING A SEWER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM,
INCLUDING CONDITIONS FOR TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE.
WHEREAS the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c. M-26, provides that a
municipality may pass bylaws respecting public utilities; and
WHEREAS it is deemed advisable and expedient to set out the terms and conditions
to regulate services between private drainage systems and the sewer system,
regulate the sewer system, prevent damage to or misuse of the sewer system, and
regulate drainage around private structures and buildings;
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF STRATHCONA COUNTY, IN THE PROVINCE OF
ALBERTA, DULY ASSEMBLED, ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
PART 1 - INTERPRETATION
1
This bylaw may be referred to as the "Sewer and Wastewater System Bylaw".
2
In this bylaw,
(a) "ACRWC" means the Alberta Capital Region Wastewater Commission;
(a.1) "account" means an agreement between a person and the County
for services related to the sewer system;
(S.32, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(a.2) "account-holder" means a person who has an account;
(S.32, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(b) "Chief Administrative Officer" means the Chief Administrative Officer
of Strathcona County;
(c) "clearwater waste" means non-contact cooling water and other water
that has not come into contact with wastewater;
(d) "combined sewer" means a sewer system used for the collection and
transmission of wastewater, stormwater, and subsurface water;
(e) "County" means Strathcona County;
(f) "curb stop valve" means a shut-off valve constructed in-line at the
end of a sewer connection pipe;
(f.1) "designated sector operations" means industrial, commercial, or
institutional sectors required to adopt codes of practice approved by
the ACRWC;
(S.33, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(g) "Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw" means Strathcona County Bylaw
33-2017, as amended, repealed, and replaced from time to time;
(h) "flow monitoring point" means an access point to sewer service or
private drainage system for a premises;
(i) "foundation drain" means a system of pipes, fittings, traps and
appurtenances connected to the foundation of a building, and used to
convey wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface water away from the
building;
(j) "hauled wastewater" means wastewater transported by vehicle for
disposal;
(k) "hazardous waste" has the same meaning as in the Waste Control
Regulation, Alta Reg 192/1996 to the Environmental Protection and
Enhancement Act, RSA 2000, c E-12 and any successor to that
legislation;
(l) an "interceptor" is a device that is intended to prevent particular
matter or materials from passing through it; for example, an oil and
grease interceptor prevents oil and grease from passing through it;
(m) "non-contact cooling water" means water used for cooling, and which
does not come into direct contact with any raw material, product, by-
product, or waste;
(n) "non-domestic wastewater" means all wastewater except domestic
wastewater, uncontaminated water, and septic tank waste.
(o) "owner" means the person in care and control and includes the person
registered under the Land Titles Act, RSA 2000, c L-4 or any
successor legislation, as owner in fee simple, a lessee, or any person
who exercises the power and authority of ownership;
(p) "overstrength" wastewater released to a sewer that is higher in
concentration for one or more constituent concentrations set out in
the Strathcona County Fee Schedule in the Fees, Rates & Charges
Bylaw 33-2017;
(q) "overstrength surcharge" the rate per kilogram per cubic meter of
water consumed and charged to a user who releases wastewater to
the sewer that exceeds one or more constituent concentrations;
(r) "premises" means a parcel of land and any buildings situated on that
land;
(s) "private drainage system" means a privately-owned assembly of
pipes, fittings, traps and appurtenances used to convey or store
wastewater, stormwater, and subsurface water;
(t) "private wastewater system" means that part of a private drainage
system that is not connected to the sewer system, and is used to
convey or store wastewater;
(u) "prohibited waste" means matter defined as prohibited waste by the
ACRWC in ACRWC Bylaw No. 8, or any other ACRWC Bylaw;
(v) "release" means to directly or indirectly disperse matter by
discharging, depositing, disposing of, abandoning, leaking, seeping,
pouring, draining, emptying, or any other means;
(w) "restricted waste" means matter defined as restricted waste by the
ACRWC in ACRWC Bylaw No. 8, or any other ACRWC Bylaw;
(x) "sanitary sewer" means a sewer system used for the collection and
transmission of wastewater;
(y) "sewer connection pipe" means the pipe connecting a private drainage
system to the sewer system;
(z) "sewer system" means all County owned infrastructure for the
collection, storage, transportation and pumping of wastewater and
stormwater and includes sewers, sewer connection pipes, ditches,
channels, stormwater management facilities, wastewater treatment
facilities, sludge treatment facilities, biosolids storage and disposal
facilities;
(aa) "spill" means a release of a prohibited waste or a restricted waste in a
place or at a time where the release is not permitted;
(bb) "Standard Methods" means Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Wastewater. 22nd ed. Ed. E.W. Rice et al. American Public
Health Association, 2012.
(cc) "storm sewer" means a sewer system used for the collection and
transmission of stormwater and subsurface water;
(dd) "stormwater" means surface run-off water that is the result of natural
precipitation;
(ee) "subsurface water" means water at a depth of not more than 15
metres beneath the surface of the ground;
(ff) "wastewater" means water discharged from a premises and has been
used for washing, flushing, in a manufacturing process, or in any
other process, and so contains waste products;
(gg) "watercourse" means:
(i)
the bed and shore of a river, stream, lake, creek, lagoon,
swamp, marsh or other natural body of water; or
(ii) a canal, ditch, reservoir, stormwater management facility or
other man-made surface drainage feature;
whether or not it contains or conveys water continuously or
intermittently.
3
The marginal notes and headings in this bylaw are for reference purposes
only.
PART 2 - OWNERSHIP
4
The County shall be responsible for the installation, maintenance, and
management of all parts of the sewer system that are under the County's
care and control, as set out in this Bylaw.
5
The County shall provide and install all facilities and equipment up to the
curb stop.
6
The County shall maintain ownership of all:
(a) sewer mains;
(b) sewer connection pipe, between a sewer main and the curb stop; and
(c) curb stop valves.
7
(1) All items on an owner's property, including all pipes, valves, fixtures, and
other items attached to the sewer system, except for those listed in section
6, shall be the property of the owner.
(2) An owner shall be responsible for the installation, inspection, repair, and
maintenance of all items owned by the owner.
PART 3 - SEWER CONNECTION PIPES
8
Only one sewer connection pipe will be provided per lot.
9
A sewer connection pipe shall not be extended from one lot to another lot.
10
(1) The owner of a property that is connected to the County's sewer system
may apply to the Chief Administrative Officer for a larger sewer connection
pipe.
(2) The owner shall pay a deposit in advance of the County upgrading the
size of a sewer connection pipe.
(3) The owner shall pay all of the County's reasonable costs associated with
upgrading the size of a sewer connection pipe.
PART 4 - SEWER CONNECTIONS AND ALTERATIONS
11
No person shall:
(a) construct or alter any sewer system or sewer connection pipe; or
(b) connect a private drainage system to a
(i) sanitary sewer system;
(ii) storm sewer system; or
(iii) combined sewer system;
without written approval from the Chief Administrative Officer.
12
The owner of a premises with an access abutting a County-owned right-of-
way containing a culvert shall maintain the culvert in order to keep it free
from obstruction.
13
The owner of a premises where use of a private drainage system has been,
or will be, discontinued shall:
(a) remove the connection to the sewer system; and
(b) abandon the sewer connection pipe in a manner acceptable to the
Chief Administrative Officer.
14
(1) The owner of a commercial, industrial, or institutional premises serviced
by the sewer system shall install and maintain an accessible sampling
manhole on each pipe leaving the property:
(a) when the pipe is new;
(b) when the premises is redeveloped; and
(c) when required to do so by the Chief Administrative Officer .
(2) A sampling manhole required by this section shall be:
(a) located and constructed in accordance with plans approved by the
Chief Administrative Officer; and
(b) installed and maintained at the owner's expense.
(3) The owner of a premises shall ensure that the Chief Administrative Officer
has a reasonable means of accessing the sampling manhole.
15
(1) The Chief Administrative Officer may require the owner or operator of a
premises to install, upstream of a sampling manhole, a wastewater pre-
treatment facility.
(2) The owner and operator of the premises shall be jointly and severally
responsible for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the
wastewater pre-treatment facility.
(S.34, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(3) A wastewater pre-treatment facility must be operated in accordance with
the manufacturer's recommendations, and in accordance with any other
requirements established by the Chief Administrative Officer.
(4) No person shall deposit the waste products from a wastewater pre-
treatment facility into the sewer system.
(5) Wastewater pre-treatment facility records must be kept by the owner or
operator for a minimum of two years.
(6) Wastewater pre-treatment facility records must be submitted to the Chief
Administrative Officer upon request.
16
(1) The owner of a residential, commercial, or industrial property that abuts
any street, lane, or right-of-way in which there is a sanitary sewer shall, at
the owner's expense:
(a) for a new construction or development, connect the property's
building drain or building sewer to the sanitary sewer during
construction;
(b) for an existing construction or development where a sanitary sewer
has been subsequently constructed,
(i) connect the property's building drain or building sewer to the
sanitary sewer;
(ii) discontinue use of any private wastewater system; and
(iii) remove or fill all tanks, pits, or cesspools that were part of the
private wastewater system;
unless otherwise directed by the Chief Administrative Officer.
(2) Where a residential, commercial, or industrial property does not abut a
street, lane, or right-of-way in which there is a sanitary sewer, the owner of
that property shall, at the owner's expense, connect that property's building
drain or building sewer to a private wastewater system.
(3) If the owner of a building fails to connect to a sewer system as required
under this section within sixty days of being notified to do so, the Chief
Administrative Officer may make or repair the required connection and
require the owner to pay the full cost of making or repairing the connection,
plus reasonable expenses.
17
Any private wastewater system shall be:
(a) located and constructed in accordance with plans approved by the
Chief Administrative Officer;
(b) constructed in accordance with the provisions of this Bylaw, the
Safety Codes Act, RSA 2000, c. S-1, as amended, repealed, or
replaced from time to time, and any relevant provincial or federal
legislation; and
(c) installed and maintained at the owner's expense.
18
The owner of a building that abuts or any street, lane, or right-of-way in
which there is a storm sewer shall, at the owner's expense:
(a) for a new construction or development, connect the property's
foundation drain to the:
(i) storm sewer at the time of construction; or
(ii) sump pump collector sewer service, where present, at the time of
construction.
(b) for an existing construction or development where a storm sewer has
been subsequently constructed, connect the property's foundation
drain to the storm sewer within 60 days of being directed to do so by
the Chief Administrative Officer.
19
(1) The owner of each building with a downspout or sump pump discharge
shall attach a drainage extension to direct drainage from the roof run-off
collection system or foundation drain toward a street, lane, or right-of-way.
(2) A downspout or sump pump discharge drainage extension shall be
designed to minimize ponding or ice build-up on private or public property.
20
The owner of a building shall be responsible for the design, install, and
maintenance of each:
(a) roof run-off collection system, downspout, and downspout drainage
extension;
(b) foundation drain;
(c) catchbasin;
(d) sump pump discharge and sump pump discharge drainage extension
on the owner's property; and
(e) drainage system extension of any kind on the owner's property.
21
Deleted
(S.35, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
PART 5 - USE OF THE SEWER SYSTEM
22
(1) No person shall release, or permit the release of, any matter into the
sewer system except as permitted under this Bylaw.
(2) No person shall release, or permit the release of:
(a) hazardous waste; or
(b) any prohibited waste;
into the sewer system.
(3) The following may be released into the sanitary sewer system without
first obtaining a permit:
(a) domestic wastewater that does not contain:
(i) hazardous waste; or
(ii) a prohibited waste;
(4) The following may only be released into the sanitary sewer system after
obtaining authorization from the Chief Administrative Officer:
(a) non-domestic wastewater;
(b) hauled wastewater, including septic waste;
(c) stormwater;
(d) clearwater waste;
(e) subsurface water; or
(f) other matter where a wastewater discharge permit has been issued
through the ACRWC.
(5) The ACRWC may issue, and subsequently amend, a wastewater discharge
permit to allow the release of materials under subsection 4 and may:
(a) place limits and restrictions on the quantity, composition, frequency,
and nature of the waste permitted to be released;
(b) require the permit-holder to repair, alter, remove, or add to sanitary
sewer system works, or to add new sanitary sewer system works; and
(c) provide that the waste discharge permit will expire on a specified
date, or on the occurrence or a specified event.
(6) The Chief Administrative Officermay issue, and subsequently amend, a
discharge abatement order:
(a) to require a person to alter the quantity, composition, duration, or
timing of the discharge of non-domestic waste or hauled wastewater
to a sewer or wastewater facility;
(b) to require a person to cease the discharge of non-domestic
wastewater or hauled wastewater into a sewer or wastewater facility;
or
(c) to require a person to cease the discharge of all non-compliant
wastewater into a sewer or wastewater facility;
and may include any terms that may also be included under a wastewater
discharge permit issued under subsection 5.
23
Any person who releases any matter to the sewer system shall, at that
person's expense, complete any monitoring or sampling of the released
matter as required by the Chief Administrative Officer.
24
No person shall release hauled wastewater to the sewer system unless:
(a) that release is at a location approved by the Chief Administrative
Officer;
(b) that person has completed a manifest in a form approved by the Chief
Administrative Officer, and has deposited that manifest in a location
approved by the Chief Administrative Officer prior to the release; and
(c) any hose or device used to release the hauled wastewater is placed
securely in the discharge port at the approved location.
(2) All persons depositing hauled wastewater at the Clover Bar Wastewater
Transfer Station will be subject to the terms of use established in the City of
Edmonton and/or EPCOR Water Services Inc., as amended.
(3) All persons depositing hauled wastewater at the Clover Bar Wastewater
Transfer Station shall be subject to the rates established by agreement
between the County, the City of Edmonton and/or EPCOR Water Services Inc.
(4) Any person depositing hauled wastewater at the Clover Bar Wastewater
Transfer Station generated from within the boundaries of the County, is
subject to the fines, penalties, and costs of this bylaw.
25
No person shall release matter or wastewater into a storm sewer, sanitary
sewer or combined sewer where that matter or wastewater has been diluted
in order to achieve compliance with the concentrations differentiating
between a prohibited waste and a restricted waste.
25.1 (1) Any person engaged in designated sector operations must comply with the
ACRWC's best management practices, compliance programs, and codes of
practice that apply to that industry, business, or sector.
(2) A code of practice does not apply to a discharging operation that is
subject to a wastewater discharge permit, unless otherwise specified in the
wastewater discharge permit.
(3) A code of practice does not apply to the discharge of domestic
wastewater.
(4) Nothing in a code of practice relieves a person discharging wastewater
from complying with this bylaw, a wastewater discharge permit or any other
applicable enactment.
(5) Any person who wishes to engage in designated sector operations must
submit to ACRWC a completed Code of Practice registration form:
(a) Within 90 days of the date of adoption of the applicable code of
practice in the case of a designated sector operation in existence
on the adoption date; or
(b) In all other cases, within 30 days of the discharging operation
commencing the discharge of wastewater into a sewer connected
to the sewer system.
(6) Any person engaged in designated sector operations must report to the
ACRWC, in a form acceptable to the ACRWC, any change in the ownership,
name, location, contact person, telephone number, or email address of a
discharging operation registered under a code of practice within 30 days of
the change.
(7) Any person engaged in designated sector operations must, within 30
days of any change in the discharging operation registered under a code of
practice resulting in the operation no longer meeting the definition applicable
to that type of discharging operation, report the change to the ACRWC in a
form acceptable to the ACRWC.
(8) If a code of practice establishes a requirement in relation to a specific
discharging operation which differs from a provision in this bylaw, the
requirement in the code of practice prevails.
(S.36, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
26
Any time a sample of wastewater or stormwater is required the sample must
be:
(a) taken and prepared in accordance with the methods set out in
Standard Methods; and
(b) analyzed by a Provincially Accredited Laboratory operating within their
scope of practice.
PART 6 - INTERCEPTORS
27
(1) The owner of any premises in which there is industrial, commercial or
institutional food preparation shall install and maintain an oil and grease
interceptor:
(a) on all fixtures that may release oil or grease; or
(b) downstream of all fixtures that may release oil or grease.
(2) The owner of a premises in which vehicles or equipment are serviced,
repaired, disassembled or washed shall install and maintain an oil, grease
and sand interceptor:
(a) on all fixtures that may release oil, grease or sand; or
(b) downstream of all fixtures that may release oil, grease or sand.
(3) The owner of a premises on which a catchbasin is installed for the
purpose of collecting stormwater and carrying it into the storm sewer shall
equip the catchbasin with a sediment interceptor and sediment removal
sump.
(4) The owner of any other premises shall install and maintain an interceptor
when required to do so by the Chief Administrative Officer.
(5) All interceptors required by this section shall be installed, inspected, and
maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, the
Alberta Building Code, the National Plumbing Code, and any applicable
Canadian Standards Association standards.
(6) The owner or operator of any premises under this section shall keep
records of any inspection and maintenance performed on an interceptor, and
of oil, grease, and sediment disposal, for two years, and shall produce those
records at the request of the Chief Administrative Officer.
(7) No person shall use any enzymes, emulsifiers, bacteria, solvents, hot
water, or other agents to facilitate the passage of oil, grease, or other matter
through an interceptor.
28
(1) The owner of a premises in which a dental facility is located shall install a
dental amalgam separator on all fixtures which may release dental amalgam
waste to a sewer system.
(2) This section does not apply to premises practicing solely;
(a) orthodontics or dentofacial orthopedics;
(b) oral or maxillofacial surgery;
(c) oral medicine and pathology;
(d) periodontics; or
(e) a dental practice consisting solely of visits by a mobile dental
practitioner who prevents any amalgam from being released directly
or indirectly to the sewer system.
(3) All dental amalgam separators shall;
(a) be maintained by the owner according to the manufacturer's
recommendations;
(b) operate at least 95% efficiency in amalgam weight removal; and
(c) be certified under ISO 11143 - "Dentistry - Amalgam Separators".
(4) A record shall be maintained and kept by the owner for five years
detailing the maintenance of each dental amalgam separator and the
disposal of dental amalgam waste, and shall produce those records at the
request of the Chief Administrative Officer.
PART 7 - OTHER PROVISIONS
29
No person shall release any wastewater into any watercourse.
30
No person shall release hauled wastewater to a sewer system unless:
(a) that person is operating and certified according to all applicable
federal and provincial legislation; and
(b) that person meets all conditions for hauling and discharge of hauled
wastewater as set out by the ACRWC, Alberta Environment and Parks,
and the City of Edmonton.
31
(1) No person shall release non-contact cooling water to a sewer system
from a residential property.
(2) The release of non-contact cooling water to the sanitary sewer system
from an industrial, commercial, or institutional property is only permitted
where:
(a) in the case of a proposed building, no storm sewer or yard drainage
system exists adjacent to the building; or
(b) in the case of an existing building, no connection exists between the
building and the storm sewer system.
32
No person shall release water originating from a source other than the
County's water supply, including stormwater or groundwater, to the sanitary
sewer system unless the release has been permitted by the Chief
Administrative Officer and:
(a) the released matter is not a prohibited waste or a restricted waste; or
(b) the released matter is a prohibited waste or a restricted waste, but
the release has been approved by the receiving wastewater treatment
facility.
PART 8 - SPILLS
33
(1) In the event of a spill to a sewer system, the person responsible for the
spill, or the person having the charge, management, or control of the spill,
shall:
(a) in the case of a spill that may cause immediate or imminent danger to
human health or safety, contact Strathcona County Emergency
Services by calling 9-1-1; or
(b) in the case of a spill that is unlikely to cause immediate or imminent
danger to human health or safety, contact:
(i) the Strathcona County Utilities Department;
(ii) the owner of the premises where the spill occurred; and
(iii) any other person that the responsible person reasonably believes
may be directly affected by the spill.
(2) A person reporting a spill under this section shall provide a detailed
report on the spill in accordance with the requirements set out by Alberta
Environment and Parks, any successor Alberta Government Ministry, or any
other legislation, Act, or Bylaw.
(3) A person responsible for the charge, management, or control of a spill
under this section shall take all reasonable measures, at that person's own
expense, to contain the spill, protect the health and safety of any person who
may be affected by the spill, minimize damage to property, clean up the spill
and contaminated residue, and restore the affected area to its condition prior
to the spill.
(4) The County may invoice the person responsible for a spill to recover the
costs associated with the cleanup of the spill. The person responsible for the
spill must pay the costs invoiced.
(5) The County may require the person responsible for a spill to prepare and
submit a spill contingency plan indicating how the risk of a future spill will be
mitigated, and how future spills will be addressed.
PART 9 - ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
34
The Chief Administrative Officer is authorized to administer and enforce the
provisions of this Bylaw. The Chief Administrative Officer may make binding
contracts with customers for sewer service and may levy fines and charges in
accordance with this Bylaw.
35
The Chief Administrative Officer has the authority to carry out any inspection
reasonably required to ensure compliance with this Bylaw, including but not
limited to:
(a) inspecting, observing, sampling, and measuring the flow in any:
(i) private drainage system;
(ii) private wastewater system;
(iii) private stormwater management system; or
(iv) flow monitoring point;
(b) determining water consumption by reading water meters;
(c) testing flow measuring devices;
(d) taking samples of wastewater, stormwater, clearwater waste, or
subsurface water being released from a premises or flowing within a
private drainage system;
(e) performing on-site testing of the wastewater, stormwater, clearwater
waste, or subsurface water within or being released from a private
drainage system, wastewater pre-treatment facility, or stormwater
management facility;
(f) collecting and analyzing samples of hauled wastewater being
delivered to a discharge location;
(g) inspecting the types and quantities of chemicals being handled or
used on a premises is relation to a potential release to a drainage
system or watercourse;
(h) inspecting and copying documents related to a matter under this
Bylaw, including removing documents from a premises in order to
make copies;
(i) inspecting chemical storage areas and spill containment facilities, and
requesting Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheets
(SDS) for materials stored on used on site;
(j) inspecting the premises where a release of prohibited waste or
restricted waste has been made or is suspected of having been made,
and to sample any or all matter that, in the Chief Administrative
Officer's opinion, may have been affected by the release; and
(k) requesting information from a person concerning a matter under this
section.
36
No person shall interfere with the Chief Administrative Officer or the Chief
Administrative Officer's agents or employees while the Chief Administrative
Officer or the Chief Administrative Officer's agents or employees are engaged
in carrying out duties under this Bylaw.
37
(1) Where wastewater that
(a) is hazardous or creates a danger to any person;
(b) endangers or interferes with the operation of the sewer system; or
(c) causes or is capable of causing an adverse effect;
is released to the sewer system, the Chief Administrative Officer may, in
addition to any other remedy available, disconnect, plug, or seal the sewer
connection pipe releasing the wastewater into the sewer system, or take any
other action that is necessary to prevent the wastewater from entering the
sewer system.
(2) The Chief Administrative Officer may keep a sewer connection pipe
disconnected, plugged, or sealed under this section until the Chief
Administrative Officer is satisfied that no further release of the wastewater
will be made into the sewer syste
38
The Chief Administrative Officer may charge, to an owner or operator, in
accordance with Schedule "B", any Overstrength Surcharge or fine assessed
against the County by any governing or regulatory body, where the owner or
operator's discharge to, use of, or misuse of the sewer system has caused
the Overstrength Surcharge or fine to be assessed against the County.
(S.37, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
PART 10 - ACCOUNTS AND CHARGES
39
The rates and charges to be charged for sewer services shall be set out from
time to time in the Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw.
40
All sewer service charges and all associated fees will be set out in the
monthly utility bill.
41
Property owners subscribing or re-subscribing to the County's sewer service
will be subject to a connection fee as set out in the Fees, Rates, and Charges
Bylaw.
42
(1) A property's owner or occupant must open an account with the County
before the County provides sewer system services
(2) An occupant that is not the owner of a property may only open an
account with the property owner's written authorization.
(3) If an account is opened with the occupant that is not the owner of the
property, the occupant must agree to a pre-authorized payment method.
(S.38, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
43
(1) An account-holder may request that the invoice for the account be sent
to either the account-holder's address, or to the service address.
(2) The account-holder remains responsible for the account and shall ensure
that all charges, fees, and bills are paid.
(3) The property owner and the account-holder are jointly and severally
liable for ensuring that all requirements of this Bylaw are adhered to.
(S.39, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
44
(1) A request for a temporary or permanent sewer disconnect must be made
by the property owner.
(2) A sewer disconnect will be made subject to any terms and conditions set
by the Chief Administrative Officer, which may include, but are not limited
to:
(a) confirmation through an engineering report, at the owner's
expense, that there is no longer flow in the sewer system;
(b) installation of a device or devices to monitor wastewater flow data;
and
(c) the requirement to enter into an access agreement to allow the
Chief Administrative Officer to regularly inspect the sewer system
on the property.
(3) If a sewer disconnect is approved by the Chief Administrative Officer, it is
an offence to fail to comply with the terms and conditions of that sewer
disconnect.
(S.40, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
45
(1) As a condition of providing sewer service the County may require a
guarantee deposit from the account-holder in the amount of three
consecutive billing periods, as determined by the Chief Administrative Officer.
(S.41, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(2) A guarantee deposit is non-transferable and may be in the form of a
security bond, letter of credit, cash, or a certified cheque.
(3) If a guarantee deposit has been provided under this section, upon
discontinuance of service the deposit shall be returned to the account-holder
within 30 days of the last date of service.
(S.41, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(4) If a guarantee deposit provided under this section is returned, the County
shall return the deposit amount plus interest, calculated at a rate of one-half
percent (0.5%) below the County's weighted average rate of return from the
previous year.
46
(1) All utility bills will be due and payable as specified on the bill and
payments may be made as specified on the utility bill or as otherwise
specified or permitted by the Chief Administrative Officer.
(2) No reduction in sewer service rates will be made due to interruption of
sewer service from any cause.
(3) In the event a utility bill remains unpaid after the date fixed for
payment, a penalty, as set out in the Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw, may
be added to the amount outstanding and shall form part of the rates levied.
(S.1(a), Bylaw 44-2024, November 19, 2024)
(4) In the event a utility bill remains unpaid more than 60 days after the date
fixed for payment the Chief Administrative Officer may serve written notice,
by registered mail, on the account-holder advising that unless the account is
paid in full within 10 days of receiving the notice the County may proceed
with collection measures.
(S.42, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(5) Any utility bill remaining unpaid under this section will constitute a debt
owing to the County and is recoverable by:
(a) action in a court of competent jurisdiction;
(b) shutting off or discontinuing the County's sewer service;
(c) collecting in a like manner such as through municipal rates and taxes;
(6) In the event of a foreclosure the billing account shall be managed by the
Chief Administrative Officer by taking all reasonable actions to reduce the
County's exposure to financial loss.
47
When the ownership of a residential property changes through sale or any
other method, the outgoing account-holder's account will be automatically
closed, and the incoming owner's account will automatically be opened, on
the day of transfer of ownership.
(S.43, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
48
Where sewer service is added or deleted during a billing period, utility bills
may be prorated in accordance with the actual number of days of service that
are provided by the County in the billing period.
49
Where a utility bill has been prepaid and sewer service is subsequently
discontinued the County will provide a pro-rated refund based on the number
of days of service that have been provided and the number of days of service
that are remaining.
PART 11 - DISCONNECTING SEWER SERVICE
50
(1) The Chief Administrative Officer may disconnect or shut off the sewer
connection to a property if:
(a) the owner fails to open an account;
(b) the Chief Administrative Officer believes an emergency exists;
(c) the property's facilities are unsafe, defective, leak excessively, or
cause contamination or deterioration of the sewer system;
(d) the sewer system requires repair or maintenance;
(e) the property owner fails to provide the Chief Administrative Officer
adequate access to the sewer system on the property for the purpose
of performing readings or inspections; or
(f) in the opinion of the Chief Administrative Officer, it is reasonable to do
so.
(2) If the Chief Administrative Officer intends to disconnect or shut off the
sewer connection under paragraphs a, d, e, or f, in subsection (1), the Chief
Administrative Officer must first provide reasonable notice to the owner of
the property.
51
(1) The Chief Administrative Officer may, at any time, with 48 hours' notice
to the account-holder and the owner, disconnect the County's sewer service,
or refuse to open an account, if the account-holder or the owner:
(a) refuses to pay any charges levied pursuant to this Bylaw or the Fees,
Rates, and Charges Bylaw; or
(b) contravenes any section of this Bylaw.
(2) If the County's sewer service to an account-holder is disconnected at one
location for non-payment of assessed fees, the Chief Administrative Officer
may disconnect service to that account-holder at any or all other properties
where that account-holder has an account.
(3) The reconnect fee, as specified in the Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw,
must be paid by the account-holder before the County's sewer service will be
reconnected.
(S.44, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
PART 12 - OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
52
If any person fails to comply with or contravenes a provision in this Bylaw
the Chief Administrative Officer or a Bylaw Enforcement Officer may issue
any order under section 545 of the MGA requiring the person to remedy the
contravention.
53
Any person who contravenes a provision of this Bylaw is guilty of an offence
and is liable to a fine in an amount not less than that established in Schedule
"A" of this Bylaw.
54
Any person who commits a second or subsequent offence within one year of
committing an offence under this Bylaw is liable to a fine in an amount not
less than double the amount set out in Schedule "A" of this Bylaw.
55
A person who is guilty of an offence under this Bylaw for which a penalty is
not otherwise provided is liable to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars
($100.00) and not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00).
56
A person contravening any provision of this Bylaw shall not be subject to
imprisonment as a penalty for that offence.
57
Nothing in this Bylaw will be construed as curtailing or abridging the right of
the County to obtain compensation for, or to maintain an action for, loss of
or damage to property from or against the person or persons responsible.
Violation Tag
58
A Bylaw Enforcement Officer is hereby authorized to issue a violation tag to
any person who the Bylaw Enforcement Officer has reasonable and probable
grounds to believe has contravened any provision of this Bylaw.
59
A violation tag may be issued either personally or by mailing a copy to the
last known address of the person who has contravened the provision of this
Bylaw.
60
A violation tag shall be in a form approved by the Chief Administrative Officer
and shall state:
(a) the name of the person;
(b) the offence;
(c) the date of the offence;
(d) the penalty, as set out in Schedule "A" and in accordance with
sections 54-57;
(e) that the penalty must be paid within 30 days of the issuance of the
violation tag; and
(f) any other information as may be required by the Chief Administrative
Officer.
61
No more than one violation tag may be issued to a person each day for the
same offence.
62
Where a violation tag is issued pursuant to this Bylaw, the Person to whom
the violation tag is issued may, in lieu of being prosecuted for the offence,
pay to the County the penalty specified on the violation tag.
Violation Ticket
63
In those cases where a violation tag has been issued, and the penalty
specified on the violation tag has not been paid within the prescribed time, a
Peace Officer is authorized to issue a violation ticket pursuant to Part II of
the Provincial Offences Procedure Act, RSA 2000, c. P-34, as amended or
repealed and replaced from time to time.
(S.45, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
64
A Peace Officer is hereby authorized to issue a violation ticket pursuant to
Part II of the Provincial Offences Procedure Act, RSA 2000, c. P-34, as
amended or repealed and replaced from time to time, to any person who the
Peace Officer has reasonable grounds to believe has contravened any
provision of this Bylaw.
(S.45, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
65
Where a violation ticket has been issued to a person pursuant to this Bylaw
that person may plead guilty to the offence by submitting to the Clerk of the
Provincial Court, prior to the appearance date specified on the violation
ticket, the specified penalty set out on the violation ticket.
66
A Peace Officer has the discretion to require a mandatory court appearance
by a person who has committed an offence under this Bylaw.
(S.45, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
PART 13 - GENERAL
67
Should any provision of this Bylaw be invalid then such provision shall be
severed and the remaining Bylaw shall be maintained.
68
Nothing in this Bylaw shall operate to relieve any person from complying with
any Federal, Provincial, or other County law, order, regulation, or Bylaw.
69
The provisions of this Bylaw shall apply to all persons, both inside and
outside the County, using the County's sewer systems.
70
Bylaw 31-2011 is hereby repealed.
71
This Bylaw will come into force and effect after third reading and upon being
signed.
NOTE: Consolidation made under Section 69 of the Municipal Government Act,
R.S.A. 2000, c.M-26 and Bylaw 21-2015 Section 8, and printed under the Chief
Administrative Officer's authority.
Bylaw 38-2017, passed by Council January 23, 2018
Amendments
Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021
Bylaw 44-2024, November 19, 2024
(S.5, Bylaw 24-2025, July 8, 2025)
SCHEDULE "A"
BYLAW 38-2017
SEWER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM BYLAW
SPECIFIED PENALTIES
Section
Offence
Specified Penalty
9
Extend sewer connection pipe from one lot to
another
$1000
11(a)
Construct or alter any sewer system or sewer
connection pipe without authorization
$1000
11(b)
Connect private drainage system to a sewer
system
$4000
12
Failure to maintain culvert
$500
13
Failure to properly disconnect a private drainage
system
$4000
14(1)
Failure to install or maintain sampling manhole
$1000
15(3)
Improper operation of wastewater pre-treatment
facility
$500
15(4)
Depositing waste from wastewater pre-treatment
facility in a sewer
$500
15(5)
Failure to keep wastewater pre-treatment facility
records
$500
15(6)
Failure to submit wastewater pre-treatment
records on request
$150
17(a),
(b), (c)
Failure to properly locate, instruct, install, or
maintain a private wastewater system
$4000
19(1)
Failure to connect downspout or sump pump
drainage extension
$250
22(1)
Releasing unauthorized matter into the sewer
system
$250
22(2)(a) Releasing hazardous waste into the sewer system
$2000
22(2)(b) Releasing prohibited waste into the sewer system
$1000
24
Unauthorized or improper release of hauled
wastewater
$2000
25
Releasing diluted matter or wastewater into a
sewer
$2000
27(1)
Failure to install an oil and grease interceptor
$500
27(2)
Failure to install and maintain a sand, oil, and
grease interceptor
$500
27(3)
Failure to install a sediment interceptor
$500
27(4)
Failure to install or maintain an interceptor
$500
27(5)
Failure to install, inspect, or maintain an
interceptor according to the manufacturer's
recommendations
$500
27(6)
Failure to keep records on interceptor inspections
and maintenance
$500
27(7)
Facilitating passage of oil, grease, or other matter
through an interceptor
$2000
28(1)
Failure to install a dental amalgam separator
$500
28(3)
Failure to maintain a dental amalgam separator
according to the manufacturer's recommendations
$500
28(4)
Failure to keep records on dental amalgam
separator inspections and maintenance
$500
29
Releasing water into a watercourse
$4000
30
Unauthorized release of hauled wastewater to a
sewer system
$2000
31(1)
Improper or unauthorized release of non-contact
cooling water to a sewer system
$500
32
Improper or unauthorized release of non-County
water to a sewer system
$500
33(1)
Failure to report a spill
$1000
33(3)
Failure to contain or clean up a spill
$5000
36
Interfere with or obstruct the Chief Administrative
Officer in performing duties
$500
44(3)
Failure to comply with terms and conditions of a
sewer disconnect
$500
(S.46, Bylaw 59-2021, December 7, 2021)
(S.5, Bylaw 24-2025, July 8, 2025)
Schedule "B"
Application of Wastewater Overstrength Surcharges
a) Single Business, Multiple Sewers:
Where the wastewater from premises is released through two or more
sewer connection pipes and where there is no accurate measurement of
the individual flows being released, the release that would produce the
highest surcharge will be used to determine the overstrength surcharge
on all releases.
b) Multiple Businesses, Single Water & Sewer Service:
Wastewater released through a single sewer connection pipe from a
premises with two or more separate businesses serviced by a single sewer
connection pipe will be considered as being released by the person
responsible for the payment of the utility bill for that water meter.
c) Multiple Businesses, Multiple Water Services & Single Sewer Service
Wastewater released through a single sewer connection pipe from a
premises with two or more separate businesses, each serviced by
separately metered water services, will be considered as being released
from each of the separate businesses, in proportion to the separate
business' water consumption, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the
Chief Administrative Officer , by the owner of the premises, that:
i. the portion of the wastewater that is overstrength is being released
from only one of the businesses serviced by a separate metered
water service on the premises; and
ii. the release from that business can be monitored separately from
the other businesses
(S.5, Bylaw 24-2025, July 8, 2025)