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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NEW WESTMINSTER
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE REGULATION BYLAW NO. 7746, 2015
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 30, 2016
CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY
(September 16, 2016)
This is a consolidation of the bylaws listed below. The amendment bylaws have been
combined with the original bylaw for convenience only. This consolidation is not a legal
document. Certified copies of the original bylaws should be consulted for all
interpretations and applications of the bylaws on this subject.
AMENDMENT BYLAW
EFFECTIVE DATE
7863, 2016
Sept. 12, 2016
The bylaw numbers highlighted in this consolidation refer to the bylaws that amended
the principal Bylaw No. . The number of any amending bylaw that has been repealed is
not referred to in this consolidation.
Obtainable from the City Clerk's Office
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NEW WESTMINSTER
Sewerage and Drainage Regulation
Bylaw No. 7746, 2015
Doc # 933808
Table of Contents
PART 1 - DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................................ 5
PART 2 - SCOPE OF THE MUNICIPAL SYSTEM ................................................................................. 8
Confirmation of Municipal Services .......................................................................................... 8
Role of the Director of Engineering .......................................................................................... 8
Application ................................................................................................................................ 8
No Obligation to Provide Service ............................................................................................. 8
City Not Liable for Failure of the Municipal System ................................................................ 8
No Guarantee of Service - City Alterations - No Liability ....................................................... 9
Owners to Provide Their Own Back-up Facilities .................................................................... 9
Construction of Private Works .................................................................................................. 9
Construction and Maintenance of Private Works ..................................................................... 9
Standard of Private Maintenance ............................................................................................. 9
Mandatory Use of Municipal System ........................................................................................ 9
Holding Tanks ......................................................................................................................... 10
City Construction of Private Works and Removal of Holding Tanks ...................................... 10
PART 3- SERVICE CONNECTIONS ................................................................................................... 10
Permit required for connection of Private Works to the Municipal System ........................... 10
Authorized Agents .................................................................................................................. 10
Issuance of Permit .................................................................................................................. 10
Requirement for New and Separate Service Connections ..................................................... 11
Separate Service Connection required for Each Property ..................................................... 12
Additional Service Connections ............................................................................................ 12
Location of Service Connection ............................................................................................. 12
Lowering or Discontinuance of Service Connection .............................................................. 13
Municipal Sewer on Private Property ..................................................................................... 13
Low Pressure Systems ............................................................................................................ 13
On-Site Drainage Facility Requirements ................................................................................. 14
Use of Municipal System for Temporary Drainage during Building Construction ................ 14
PART 4 - OIL, GREASE AND GRIT INTERCEPTORS .................................................................... 14
Requirement for Sewerage Interceptors .................................................................................. 14
Requirement for Drainage Interceptors ................................................................................. 14
Type of Interceptors ............................................................................................................... 14
Maintenance of Interceptors .................................................................................................. 15
PART 5 - BLOCKAGES ......................................................................................................................... 16
Removal of Blockages from Private Works ............................................................................ 16
Failure of Private Works ....................................................................................................... 16
Owner to Do First Investigation ........................................................................................... 16
No Inspection Chamber - owner to Pay Costs to Clear All Blockages ............................... 16
Inspection Chamber - owner to Pay Costs to Clear Blockage in Private System ............... 16
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Blockages in Low Pressure Systems ..................................................................................... 17
Owner Payment of Costs to City .......................................................................................... 17
PART 6 - WATERCOURSE CROSSINGS ........................................................................................... 17
No Obstructions of Ditches ..................................................................................................... 17
Permitted Watercourse Crossings .......................................................................................... 17
Removal at Cost of owner ....................................................................................................... 17
PART 7- STANDARDS FOR SEWERAGE DISCHARGES ................................................................ 18
Septic Tank Waste .................................................................................................................. 18
Non - Domestic Waste ........................................................................................................... 18
Trucked Waste ....................................................................................................................... 18
Prohibited Discharge ............................................................................................................ 18
Restricted Discharge ............................................................................................................. 19
PART 8 - STANDARDS FOR DRAINAGE DISCHARGES .............................................................. 19
Prohibited Discharge ............................................................................................................. 19
Restricted Discharge ............................................................................................................ 19
PART 9 - ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE/ SPILL REPORTING ................................................... 20
Notification of Accidents ...................................................................................................... 20
Owner Action ....................................................................................................................... 20
City Action ............................................................................................................................ 20
City Costs ............................................................................................................................. 20
Follow-up Information to City ............................................................................................. 20
Liability .................................................................................................................................. 20
PART 10 - CONSTRUCTION WORKS ........................................................................................... 21
Use of Municipal System for Temporary Drainage ............................................................... 21
Concrete and Cement Works .................................................................................................. 21
PART 11 - INSPECTIONS ............................................................................................................... 21
No Hindrance of Inspection ................................................................................................. 21
No Obstruction to Inspection ............................................................................................... 21
Removal of Obstructions ...................................................................................................... 21
Monitoring ............................................................................................................................ 21
Standard Methods ................................................................................................................ 22
Sample Analysis .................................................................................................................... 22
Access Point ......................................................................................................................... 22
PART 11 - FEES FOR USE OF MUNICIPAL SYSTEM ................................................................ 22
Payment of Fees ................................................................................................................... 22
PART 12 - OFFENCES, PENALTIES, DISCONNECTION .......................................................... 22
Notice of Bylaw Infraction ................................................................................................... 22
No False Information ............................................................................................................. 22
No Tampering ....................................................................................................................... 23
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Discontinuance of Service .................................................................................................... 23
Emergency Disconnections .................................................................................................. 23
Timing of Disconnection ...................................................................................................... 23
Notice of Disconnection ....................................................................................................... 24
Reconnection .......................................................................................................................... 24
Offence ................................................................................................................................. 24
Additions to Taxes ................................................................................................................ 24
PART 13 - GENERAL ....................................................................................................................... 25
Interpretation ....................................................................................................................... 25
Severability ........................................................................................................................... 25
Repeal ................................................................................................................................... 25
Schedules .............................................................................................................................. 25
List of Schedules ................................................................................................................... 26
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Sewerage and Drainage Regulation
Bylaw No. 7746, 2015
WHEREAS Section 8 of the Community Charter authorizes Council to provide any service that
the Council considers necessary or desirable;
AND WHEREAS Council has established and hereby wishes to confirm its establishment of the
municipal service of disposal of Sewerage and Drainage;
AND WHEREAS Section 8 of the Community Charter authorizes Council to regulate, prohibit and
impose requirements in relation to municipal services;
AND WHEREAS by this Bylaw Council wishes to regulate, prohibit and impose requirements in
relation to the municipal service of disposal of Sewerage and Drainage;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the City of New Westminster, in open
meeting assembled, enacts as follows:
Title
1.
This Bylaw may be cited as the "Sewerage and Drainage Regulation Bylaw No. 7746,
2015."
PART 1 - DEFINITIONS
Definitions
2.
In this Bylaw, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Combined Sewerage" means a mix of Domestic Sewerage & Drainage;
"Director of Engineering" means the Director of Engineering Services of the City and
shall include his or her duly appointed assistants or representatives;
"Domestic Sewerage" means:
(a)
human excreta, and
(b)
waterborne Waste from the preparation and consumption of food and
drink, dishwashing, bathing, showering, and general household cleaning
and laundry;
"Drainage" means runoff or water otherwise resulting from rainfall, snowfall, and
snowmelt;
"Drainage Service Connection" means the pipe extending from the property line to the
Municipal Drainage System;
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"Engineering Fees and Rates Bylaw" means the Engineering Fees and Rates Bylaw No.
7553, 2013 as amended from time to time;
"Fixture" means a sink, shower, tub, toilet, receptacle, appliance, apparatus or other
device that discharges Sewerage, Drainage or clear-water Waste and includes Floor
Drains and Drainage catchbasins;
"Floor Drain" means a Fixture used to receive water from the floor of a building;
"Garbage" means solid Waste;
"Grease" means an organic substance recoverable by procedures set forth in
Standard Methods and includes but is not limited to hydrocarbons, esters, fats, oils,
waxes and high molecular carboxylic acids;
"Inspector" means the person appointed as City Building Inspector by the City
Council and includes Deputies to the City Building Inspector and any other employee of
the City authorized to carry out inspections for the purposes set out in this Bylaw;
"Interceptor" means a plumbing device designed to intercept most oil, grease and grit
before they enter the Municipal Works;
"Municipal Drainage System" means the system operated and maintained by the City for
the purpose of transporting, disposing, treating, using or discharging Drainage, and
includes the Municipal Drainage Works;
"Municipal Drainage Works" means the mains, storm sewers, Service Connections,
ditches, culverts and Drainage pump stations and other works used for the Municipal
Drainage System;
"Municipal Sewerage System" means the system operated and maintained by the City
for the purpose of transporting Sewerage to a treatment facility, and includes the
Municipal Sewerage Works;
"Municipal Sewerage Works" means the mains, sewers, Service Connections and other
works used for the Municipal Sewerage System;
"Municipal Works" means the Municipal Sewerage Works and the Municipal Drainage
Works;
"Municipal System" means the Municipal Drainage System and/or the Municipal
Sewerage System;
"Non-Domestic Waste" means all Sewerage except Domestic Sewerage, Combined
Sewerage, Drainage, Uncontaminated Water, and Septic Tank Waste;
"Occupancy" means the use or intended use of a building or part of it for the shelter or
support of persons, animals or property;
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"Owner" means the registered owner of real property;
"Plumbing System" means an assembly of pipes, fittings, Fixtures, Traps and
appurtenances that is used to convey Sewerage, clear-water Waste or Drainage from a
building or property to a Municipal Sewerage System or a Municipal Drainage System;
"Private Sewerage Works" means the pipe and other works for the disposal of Sewerage
extending from the building or structure on the property to the Sewerage Service
Connection;
"Private Drainage Works" means the pipe and other works for the disposal of Drainage
extending from the building or structure on the property to the Drainage Service
Connection;
"Private Works" means the Private Sewerage Works and Private Drainage Works;
"Professional Engineer" means a person who is registered or licensed to practice as a
Professional Engineer under the Engineers and Geoscientists Act;
"Prohibited Waste" is listed in Schedule "B";
"Restricted Waste" is listed in Schedule "C";
"Separated System Area" means an area of the City in which the Municipal Drainage
Works are separated in the street from the Municipal Sewerage Works;
"Service Connection" means either a Sewerage Service Connection or a Drainage Service
Connection;
"Sewerage" means Domestic Sewerage, Combined Sewerage and Waste from
Commercial, Industrial, Institutional and other sources;
"Sewerage Service Connection" means the pipe extending from the property line to the
Municipal Sewerage System;
"Standard Methods" means in accordance with the latest edition from time to time of
"Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater", jointly prepared
and published by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works
Association and the Water Environment Federation or any successors thereto;
"Suspended Solids" means insoluble matter which either floats on the surface or is
suspended in Sewerage and that is separable by the appropriate procedure described in
Standard Methods;
BYLAW NO. 7863, 2016
"Temporary Sump" means an approved containment system or pit which receives liquid
Waste and which is located below the normal grade of the gravity system and which
must be emptied by mechanical means";
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"Trap" means a fitting or device that is designed to hold a liquid seal that will prevent
the passage of gas but will not materially affect the flow of a liquid;
"Trucked
Waste"
is
waste
that
due
to
the
level
of
contamination
or
health/environmental risk it poses, cannot be legally be disposed of down the Municipal
Sewerage Works;
"Waste" means any substance, whether gaseous, liquid or solid, that is discharged or
discarded, directly or indirectly, to a Sewer or Sewage Facility;
"Watercourse" means a stream, creek, ditch or other natural or man-made surface
feature in which Drainage flows and which is part of the Municipal Drainage System.
PART 2 - SCOPE OF THE MUNICIPAL SYSTEM
Confirmation of Municipal Services
3.
Council hereby confirms the establishment of the municipal services of Sewerage
disposal and Drainage discharge.
Role of the Director of Engineering
4.
The Director of Engineering is authorized to control, supervise and administer the
Municipal System.
Application
5.
The regulations and prohibitions in this Bylaw do not apply to City employees or
contractors acting under the direction of or with the permission of the Director of
Engineering, or to members of the Fire Department acting in the course of their powers
and duties.
No Obligation to Provide Service if Insufficient Capacity
6.
Nothing in this Bylaw shall obligate the City to provide services to any property or
person when, in the opinion of Council, the capacity of the Municipal System is
insufficient to provide the service.
City Not Liable for the Failure of the Municipal System
7.
The City shall not be liable for the failure of the Municipal Sewerage System or the
Municipal Drainage System in consequence of any accident or damage to either or both
of those systems, or the breakdown or malfunction of either or both of those systems,
or the connection to the Municipal System, or any temporary stoppage from blockages,
alterations or repairs, whether the failure arises from the negligence of any person in
the employ of the City or any other person or through natural deterioration or
obsolescence of the Municipal Sewerage System or Municipal Drainage System, or
otherwise.
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No Guarantee of Service - City Alterations - No Liability
8.
The City does not guarantee service. The City reserves the right at any and all times,
without notice, to change operating conditions of the Municipal Sewerage System
and/or the Municipal Drainage System, for the purposes of making repairs, extensions,
alterations or improvements, or for any other reason. Neither the City, its officers,
employees nor agents shall incur any liability of any kind whatever by reason of the
cessation in whole or in part of the Municipal Sewerage System and/or the Municipal
Drainage System or changes in operating conditions.
Owners to Provide Their Own Back-Up Facilities
9.
Owners or other persons depending on continuous and uninterrupted disposal of
Sewerage and/or Drainage shall provide on the property and at their cost, such
necessary equipment and facilities suitable to their requirements.
Construction of Private Works
10.
Every owner of property who constructs Private Sewerage Works or Private Drainage
Works shall ensure that they are constructed to receive all Sewerage and all Drainage,
respectively, emanating from all buildings and structures on the property.
Construction and Maintenance of Private Works
11.
Every owner shall construct, operate, repair, maintain and replace the Private
Sewerage Works and Private Drainage Works on the owner's property in strict
compliance with all applicable bylaws, laws, regulations, codes and orders, including
this Bylaw.
Standard of Private Maintenance
12.
Every owner shall maintain the Private Sewerage Works and Private Drainage Works on
the owner's property in proper working condition and in such way that there is no
leakage of Sewerage or Drainage and no infiltration of any groundwater into the
Private Works.
Mandatory Use of Municipal System
13.
Every owner shall ensure that:
(a) all Sewerage originating from any building located on such property owner's
property is connected to and discharged into the Municipal Sewerage System, when
such a system is available to the property;
(b) all Drainage originating from such owner's property is contained entirely on that
property and connected to and discharged into the Municipal Drainage System, when
such a system is available to the property.
Holding Tanks
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14.
Holding tanks are not allowed on any property within the area of the City that has been
designated as the Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy - Urban Containment
Area, and the City will not permit a Service Connection to a property that contains a
holding tank and owners must remove all such holding tanks.
City Construction of Private Works and Removal of Holding Tanks
15.
Where:
(a)
an owner fails to construct Private Works on the owner's property and connect
to the Municipal System as required by Section 13 of this bylaw; or
(b)
an owner fails to remove a holding tank from his property as required by Section
14 of this bylaw,
the City may enter on the owner's property and fulfill the requirement at the expense
of the owner and recover the costs incurred from that person as a debt and where the
costs are not paid within 30 days may recover those costs as Special Fees pursuant to
Division 14 of Part 7 of the Community Charter.
PART 3 - SERVICE CONNECTIONS
Permit Required for Connection of Private Works to the Municipal System
16.
No person shall connect any Private Sewerage Works or Private Drainage Works with
any Sewerage Service Connection or Drainage Service Connection without first
obtaining a permit to do so from the Director of Engineering and paying the applicable
connection fee established in the Engineering Fees and Rates Bylaw.
Authorized Agents
17.
The owner may, in writing, consent to an application for a Service Connection being
made on the owner's behalf by the owner's authorized agent, and in that case all
directions, orders and other communications made by the Director of Engineering to
the authorized agent are deemed to have been made to the owner.
Issuance of Permit
18.
Upon an owner satisfying all the conditions of this Bylaw for the issuance of a permit,
the Director of Engineering will issue a Service Connection permit to the owner.
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Requirement for New and Separate Service Connections
19.
Where:
(a)
a new building is constructed, or
(b)
an existing building is renovated and the estimated construction value:
(i)
exceeds the current assessed value of the improvements on the subject
property as set by the BC Assessment Authority;
(ii)
is more than $100,000 in total; or
(iii)
is greater than $100,000 spread over a 5 year period
and the work involves:
(i)
site excavation work;
(ii)
enlargement of the Plumbing System by adding two or more Fixtures; or
(iii)
an increase in the number of bedrooms
the requirements of Section 20 shall apply.
20.
Where Section 19 applies:
(a)
and there is no Service Connection or the Service Connection is 40 years old or
older, the owner shall install a new Sewerage Service Connection, and where the
property is located in a Separated System Area a separate Drainage Service
Connection;
(b)
the owner shall replace existing Private Works with separate Private Sewerage
Works and Private Drainage Works whether or not the property is in a Separated
System Area and whether or not new and/or separate Service Connections are
required;
(c)
and the Service Connection is less than 40 years old, the owner must provide a
video inspection of the Service Connection for review by the City and where, in
the opinion of Director of Engineering, there is excessive damage to the Service
Connection:
(i)
the owner shall repair or replace the Service Connection; and
(ii)
if the Service Connection is replaced, it must be replaced by a new
Sewerage Service Connection, and where the property is located in a
Separated System Area a separate Drainage Service Connection.
(d)
the owner shall:
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(i)
replace all no-corrode, asbestos, cement or clay Service Connections of
any age or condition; and
(ii)
install inspection chambers at the property line.
Separate Service Connection Required for Each Property
21.
Subject to Section 22, each separate parcel of land requires its own Service Connection
to the Municipal System.
22.
The requirement of Section 21 shall not apply to strata lots, air space parcels and the
remainder parcels from which they are subdivided if all such parcels are or will be
developed with a Plumbing System which is the subject of registered reciprocal
easements, satisfactory to the Director of Engineering, by which all owners have access
to all parts of the Plumbing System for inspection, maintenance, repair and
replacement.
Additional Service Connections
23.
Where there is an existing Service Connection to any property and:
(a)
the owner applies to the City for an additional Service Connection of the same
type; or
(b)
the owner requires more than one connection to the Municipal System
the owner shall, subject to the approval of the Director of Engineering, deposit with the
City a sum equal to the estimated cost of providing such service and should there be a
difference between the actual cost of providing such service and the estimated cost,
such difference shall be the responsibility of the owner.
Location of Service Connection
24.
When an owner applies for a permit to connect any Private Sewerage Works or Private
Drainage Works with the Municipal System, the owner must provide an engineering
topographical survey plan of the property, after which the Director of Engineering will
determine:
(a)
to which main sewer the Private Works shall be connected;
(b)
the location and depth of the Private Works; and
(c)
the lowest elevation that a plumbing Fixture can be installed such that the flood
level rim of the plumbing Fixture (the top edge at which water can overflow) is
not below the restricted elevation unless the plumbing Fixture is pumped.
Lowering or Discontinuance of Service Connection
25.
Where, in order to meet the requirements of any owner applying for connection to the
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Municipal System, it is necessary for the Director of Engineering to lower or discontinue
an existing Service Connection, the owner shall pay to the City the City's actual cost of
lowering the connection or capping off the existing connection and replacing it, based
on the cost of materials, staff time, overhead and administration fee.
Municipal Sewer on Private Property
26.
Where any part of the Municipal System is located in or on privately-owned property,
or in respect of which the City holds an easement, right of way, or statutory right of
way on privately-owned property, no person shall connect to or disturb any part of
the Municipal System except by permission and under the direction of the Director of
Engineering.
Low Pressure Systems
27.
Where the Sewerage and/or Drainage generated on a property cannot be drained to
the Municipal System by gravity, or in the event that the municipal sewer on the street
is operating or, in the opinion of the Director of Engineering, may need in the future to
operate under hydraulic head, the owner of the property may be granted a Service
Connection only if:
(a)
the owner installs on the owner's property a sewage pump unit and the
associated force main, designed by a Professional Engineer and installed in
accordance with the engineered design, to pump the Waste to the Municipal
System; and
(b)
the owner registers against the title to the owner's land in favour of the City, in
priority to all financial charges, a Land Title Act, Section 219 covenant, in a form
acceptable to the City, promising:
(i)
to operate, repair, maintain, and otherwise be fully responsible for the
sewage pump unit and the associated force main and including the
controls and all auxiliary components;
(ii)
not to change the pumping characteristics of the pumping system unless
otherwise approved by the Director of Engineering; and
(iii)
when necessary, to replace the pumps, force main and controls
including installing a balancing tank to meet changing operating
conditions of the low pressure system in the area, which replacement
work must be designed by a Professional Engineer and the owner must
submit the record of replacement to the City.
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On-Site Drainage Facility Requirements
28.
Where an on-site Drainage management facility has been installed the owner must
ensure that the facility is:
(a)
accessible;
(b)
maintained in good condition; and
(c)
functioning as designed.
BYLAW NO. 7863, 2016
PART 4 - OIL, GREASE AND GRIT INTERCEPTORS
Requirement for Sewerage Interceptors
29.
Oil and grease Interceptors shall be provided by the owner, at the owner's expense, on
the Private Sewerage Works of food sector establishments, automobile service stations
and vehicle and equipment washing establishments. Interceptors will be required for
other types of businesses, when in the opinion of the Director of Engineering they are
necessary for the proper handling of Sewerage containing grease or suspended solids.
Requirement for Drainage Interceptors
30.
Oil and grit Interceptors shall be provided by the owner, at the owner's expense, on the
Private Drainage Works of industrial, commercial and multi-family sites. Interceptors
will be required for other types of properties, when in the opinion of the Director of
Engineering they are necessary for the proper handling of Drainage containing oil, grit
or suspended materials.
Type of Interceptors
31.
Interceptors installed pursuant to Section 29 and 30 shall be:
(a)
approved by the Director of Engineering; and
(b)
located so as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
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Maintenance of Interceptors
32.
An owner shall:
(a)
maintain Interceptors installed pursuant to Section 29 and 30 in good working
order and according to the manufacturer's recommendations; and
(b)
Inspect the Interceptors regularly to ensure:
(i)
The Interceptors performance is maintained to the manufacturer's
specifications for performance and
(ii)
That the surface oil and grease or grit levels do not exceed the
recommended level.
33.
The owner or operator of the premises for which an Interceptor is required under
Sections 29 and 30 shall keep the records of maintenance for:
(a)
Interceptors clean-out; and
(b)
Oil, grease and grit disposal
on the premises for two years and shall provide those records to the Inspector or the
Director of Engineering upon request.
34.
No person shall:
(a)
discharge emulsifiers to the sewer system through Interceptors; or
(b)
use enzymes, bacteria, solvents, hot water or other agents to facilitate the
passage of oil and grease through an Interceptors.
35.
Where the owner or operator of the property or establishment or to which Sections 29
and 30 applies fails to comply with Sections 33 and 34 of this bylaw the Director of
Engineering may:
(a)
order the owner or operator of the property or establishment to comply within
10 days; and
(b)
if the owner or operator fails to comply with the order, the Director of
Engineering may retain the services of a contractor to carry out the examination
and cleaning of the grease Interceptors at the cost of the owner or operator of a
food sector establishment.
36.
For the purposes of Section 16(2) of the Community Charter, the contractor retained by
the Director of Engineering to carry out the examination and cleaning of the grease
Interceptors pursuant to Section 35 of this bylaw is authorized to enter the property on
which the subject food sector establishment is located carry out that work.
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PART 5 - BLOCKAGES
Removal of Blockages from Private Works
37.
The owner shall be solely responsible, at the owner's sole cost, to remove any
blockages in the Private Works which are attributable to the discharge of Sewerage
and/or Drainage from the owner's property.
Failure of Private Works
38.
The owner is responsible for all failures in the Private Sewerage Works or Private
Drainage Works on the owner's property.
Owner to Do First Investigation
39.
If Private Works, which are not part of a low pressure system, become stopped or
otherwise fail to function, the owner must:
(a)
first arrange for a plumber to rectify the stopped service; and
(b)
notify the Director of Engineering only where a plumber cannot rectify the
stopped service.
No Inspection Chamber - owner to Pay Costs to Clear All Blockages
40.
Where there is no inspection chamber installed on the Service Connection at the
property line or the inspection chamber cannot be located, the owner shall be
responsible for all costs associated with clearing a blockage up to the municipal main
including:
(a)
the removal of the blockage;
(b)
repair to the Municipal Works; and
(c)
reinstatement of the area where the work was undertaken to its previous state
except where the work is associated with Municipal Works in a failed structural state or
which has been damaged by tree roots in which case the owner shall be responsible for
all costs associated with clearing a blockage only in the Private Works.
Inspection Chamber - owner to Pay Costs to Clear Blockage in Private System
41.
Where there is an inspection chamber installed on the Service Connection at the
property line, and the blockage is found to be located in the Private Works, the owner
shall be responsible for all costs to remove the blockage and repair the service.
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Blockages in Low Pressure Systems
42.
Where any Municipal Works, Service Connection, or Private Sewerage Works or Private
Drainage Works is part of a low pressure system, and there is a blockage in any part of
the system, the owner shall remove the blockage at the owner's cost regardless of the
location and if the blockage is within any part of the dedicated road right of way, the
owner must first obtain a City Street Occupancy permit.
Owner Payment of Costs to City
43.
Where the owner is required to pay costs to the City to clear blockages, the owner shall
pay, upon receipt of an invoice, all costs incurred by the City and where costs incurred
for work done or services provided in relation to the owner's land or improvements
remain unpaid, those amounts shall be added to the owner's taxes.
PART 6 - WATERCOURSE CROSSINGS
No Obstructions of Ditches
44.
Except as permitted under Section 45 by the Director of Engineering, no person shall:
(a)
construct a Watercourse crossing;
(b)
obstruct;
(c)
or permit the continued obstruction
of the flow of water in a part of a Watercourse abutting the owner's property.
Permitted Watercourse Crossings
45.
An owner may construct or permit the continued existence of a crossing over any part
of a Watercourse abutting his or her property, if the crossing:
(a)
is for the sole purpose of providing reasonable access to the owner's property;
(b)
complies with the standard with requirement for allowable access and;
(c)
does not obstruct the flow of water in the Watercourse.
Removal at Cost of owner
46.
Where a person contravenes Section 45 of this Bylaw, the City may remove:
(a)
the Watercourse crossing; or
(b)
obstruction
at the cost of that person.
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PART 7 - STANDARDS FOR SEWERAGE DISCHARGES
Septic Tank Waste
47.
No person may deposit or permit the deposit of waste or any other material in a septic
tank to enter the Municipal System.
Non-Domestic Waste
48.
No person shall discharge or allow or cause to be discharged into the Municipal System
any Non-Domestic Waste unless:
(a)
that person has a current valid Waste Discharge Permit in writing from the
Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District; and
(b)
the Restricted Waste is discharged strictly in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the permit.
Trucked Waste
49.
No person shall dispose or allow or cause to be disposed into the Municipal System any
Trucked Waste unless:
(a)
that person has a current valid permit in writing from the Greater Vancouver
Sewerage and Drainage District; and
(b)
the Trucked Waste is disposed at a designated disposal facility.
Prohibited Discharge
50.
No person may discharge or allow or cause to be discharged into the Municipal
Sewerage System any:
(a)
Prohibited Waste as listed in Schedule "B";
(b)
water or any other substance for the purpose of diluting any Non-Domestic
Waste in order to have it meet the standards of this Bylaw;
(c)
any Sewerage with particles larger than 0.5 cm in any dimension;
(d)
any Sewerage having a suspended solids content of more than 600 milligrams
per litre;
(e)
any Garbage; or
(f)
any water or Waste which contains grease, whether or not emulsified, at a
concentration in excess of 150 milligrams per litre or which contains more than
15 milligrams per litre of substances derived from petroleum sources.
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Restricted Discharge
51.
No person may discharge or allow or cause to be discharged into the Municipal
Sewerage System any Restricted Waste as listed in Schedule "C".
PART 8 - STANDARDS FOR DRAINAGE DISCHARGES
Prohibited Discharge
52.
No person may discharge or allow or cause to be discharged into any Drainage system,
ditch, creek, stream, Watercourse, lake, bay, river, or ocean any:
(a)
Prohibited Waste as listed in Schedule "B";
(b)
prohibited or hazardous waste as defined in the Environmental Management
Act;
(c)
sediment or sediment-laden water having a total suspended solids content of
more than 75 milligrams per litre;
(d)
anything in a concentration or quantity which may be or may become a health or
safety hazard to personnel operating or maintaining the Drainage system or
which may cause damage or interfere with the proper operation or capacity of
the Drainage system or which may injure or is capable of injuring any property,
or health of any person or any life form; and
(e)
anything which contravenes the Fisheries Act of Canada.
Restricted Discharge
53.
No person, unless prior authorization in writing from the Director of Engineering has
been granted, shall discharge or allow or cause to be discharged into the Municipal
Drainage System any:
(a)
Restricted Waste as listed in Schedule "C";
(b)
processed water from groundwater remediation;
(c)
cooling waste water or which has had additives harmful to the receiving
environment;
(d)
industrial cooling water which may be polluted with insoluble oils, grease, or
insoluble suspended solids; or
(e)
swimming pool and/or hot-tub water.
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PART 9 - ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE/ SPILL REPORTING
Notification of Accidents
54.
Owners and all other persons shall notify the City immediately of any accidental
discharges or any other discharges or highway spills of the types of Waste that are
restricted or prohibited under this Bylaw.
Owner Action
55.
In the case of an incident under Section 54, the owner of the property must take
immediate action to provide appropriate countermeasures to stop the discharge and
contain the spill.
City Action
56.
Where the owner does not take immediate action under Section 55, the City may take
appropriate action, including on the owner's property, to minimize damage to the
Municipal System and/or surrounding properties.
City Costs
57.
All costs incurred by the City under Section 56 shall be paid by the owner of the
property from which the spill originated and other persons instigating or contributing
to the discharge or spill.
Follow-up Information to City
58.
Within five (5) calendar days of providing the notification required by Section 54, the:
(a)
owner; or
(b)
person responsible for the spill or discharge
shall provide a detailed written statement to the Director of Engineering providing the
location, time and date of occurrence, setting out the cause of the spill or discharge,
identifying the type of chemical or substance that was spilled or discharged, the volume
of the spill or discharge, the countermeasures taken to control the spill or discharge and
address any damage the spill or discharge may have caused and detailing the measures
being taken to prevent its future occurrence.
Liability
59.
The notifications under Sections 54 and 58 will not relieve the owner or other
responsible person of liability for any consequential expense, loss or damage to the
Municipal System or for any fines and/or penalties imposed by the City or other level of
government.
BYLAW NO. 7863, 2016
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PART 10 - CONSTRUCTION WORKS
BYLAW NO. 7863, 2016
Use of Municipal System for Temporary Drainage
60.
When an owner is constructing a new building or undertaking building operations or
relaying the Private Works, the owner shall not use any Service Connection or any part
of the Municipal System for Drainage or discharge purposes unless a Temporary Sump,
to catch sediment, and strainers to catch suspended solids have been installed to the
satisfaction of the Inspector or the Director of Engineering.
BYLAW NO. 7863, 2016
Concrete and Cement Works
61.
No person may permit the discharge or washing of cement, concrete or any deleterious
substance during construction including buildings, driveways, patios, walls, other
surfaces, or from concrete vehicles or concrete equipment, to the Municipal System,
ditch, creek, stream, Watercourse, lake, bay, river, or ocean.
PART 11 - INSPECTIONS
62.
The Inspector is hereby authorized to enter onto and into any property or building at
any reasonable time in order to ascertain whether there is compliance with this Bylaw.
No Hindrance of Inspection
63.
No person shall hinder or prevent the Inspector from entering and making reasonable
inspection of any property or building.
No Obstructions to Inspection
64.
No person shall place or permit an obstruction, including fencing, Garbage,
landscaping, other materials or things, which hinders or prevents the inspection of any
property, building or on-site works, including any maintenance hole, ditch,
Watercourse, inspection chamber, or other Fixture.
Removal of Obstructions
65.
The Director of Engineering may order the owner to remove an obstruction at the
expense of the owner.
Monitoring
66.
The Director of Engineering may require that an owner of property from which any
material or substance prohibited or restricted by this Bylaw is being discharged into the
Municipal System to undertake, at that person's expense:
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(a)
the installation of a control maintenance hole;
(b)
the measurement, sampling and analysis of the material or substance discharged
and provide the data to the City.
Standard Methods
67.
All measuring, sampling and analysis required by the Director of Engineering must be
carried out in accordance with methods and procedures specified in Standard Methods,
unless otherwise authorized by the Director of Engineering.
Sample Analysis
68.
Samples which have been collected must be analyzed by a qualified, independent
agency, unless other prior arrangements have been authorized in writing by the
Director of Engineering.
Access Point
69.
For the purposes of the provision of control maintenance hole to comply with Section
66, the Director of Engineering may accept the point of discharge into the Municipal
System as an alternative for the purposes of measuring, observing or sampling the
prohibited material or substance.
PART 11 - FEES FOR USE OF MUNICIPAL SYSTEM
Payment of Fees
70.
The owner of a property receiving the benefit of the municipal service shall:
(a)
pay the fee for the service in accordance with the Engineering Fees and Rates
Bylaw; and
(b)
shall advise the City where the use or Occupancy of the property changes, having
reference to the classification of user set out in the Sewerage System User Fees
and Rates in Engineering Fees and Rates Bylaw.
PART 12 - OFFENCES, PENALTIES, DISCONNECTION
Notice of Bylaw Infraction
71.
The Director of Engineering may issue a written notice to an owner that the owner is in
contravention of this Bylaw and direct the owner to comply.
No False Information
72.
No person shall:
(a)
provide to the City false information; or
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(b)
make inaccurate or untrue statements.
No Tampering
73.
No person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently:
(a)
break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface, mar, or tamper with any Service
Connection or any part of the Municipal System;
(b)
in any way operate, remove, or make any alteration to any part of the Municipal
System; or
(c)
uncover or place fill over any part of the Municipal System.
Discontinuance of Service
74.
Subject to Section 75, the Director of Engineering may disconnect any property from
the Municipal System through disconnection of the water service in response to:
(a)
a contravention of any of the provisions of this Bylaw; or
(b)
for non-payment of fees or other charges when due;
if the owner of the property fails to remedy the contravention or non-payment after
receiving 30 days written notice from the Director of Engineering.
Emergency Disconnections
75.
Nothing in Section 74 or Section 76 prevents the City from temporarily disconnecting
Private Works without notice in reasonable response to an emergency situation.
Timing of Disconnection
76.
The Director of Engineering shall not disconnect the Private Works under Section 74(a)
until:
i. the Director has imposed a notice period that coincides with at least
one meeting of Council scheduled at least 3 days from the date of
delivery of the notice;
ii. the Director has advised the owner that he or she may, by written
request delivered to the City Clerk at least two days before the
meeting, appear before the Council at its next regular meeting; and
iii. the owner has failed to appear before Council during the notice period;
or
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iv. Council, after hearing the submissions of the owner, affirms the
disconnection of the Private Works.
Notice of Disconnection
77.
Service of the notice referred to in Section 74 will be sufficient if the notice:
(a)
In the case of service on an individual, is served personally or mailed by prepaid
registered mail to the address of the owner shown on the then current year's
real property assessment roll for the residential property for the which the
notice is issued;
(b)
In the case of service on a corporation, is served personally on a director, officer
or manager of the corporation or by leaving it at or mailing it by registered mail
to the registered office of the corporation.
Reconnection
78.
The Director of Engineering may refuse to turn on or reconnect a disconnected private
work until all necessary repairs have been completed to the satisfaction of the Director
of Engineering and all applicable charges, including any charges for disconnection and
re-connection, have been paid.
Offence
79.
No person shall do any act or thing, or permit any act or thing, to be done in
contravention of any permit issued pursuant to this Bylaw.
80.
No person shall do any act or thing, or permit any act or thing, to be done in
contravention of this Bylaw.
81.
Every person who contravenes this Bylaw by doing any act which it forbids or omitting
to do any act which it requires to be done commits an offence and is liable, on
summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $10,000.00. A separate offence shall
be deemed to be committed upon each day during and in which any contravention of
this Bylaw occurs or continues.
82.
The penalties imposed under Section 81 shall be in addition to and not in substitution
for any other penalty or remedy that the court may impose under this Bylaw, another
bylaw, or an enactment.
Additions to Taxes
83.
Money incurred by the City for work done or services provided by the City in relation to
an owner's land or improvements at the default of the owner may be collected in the
same manner and with the same remedies as property taxes, and if it is due and
payable by December 31 and unpaid on that date, is deemed to be taxes in arrears.
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PART 13 - GENERAL
Interpretation
84.
In this Bylaw words importing the male gender include the female gender and either
includes neuter and vice-versa and words importing singular number include the plural
number and vice versa.
Severability
85.
Each provision of this Bylaw is severable from each other provision, and, if any
provision is determined to be void or unenforceable in whole or in part, this
determination shall not be deemed to affect or impair the validity of any other
provision, unless a Court otherwise determines.
Repeal
86.
Sewerage and Drainage Systems Regulation Bylaw No. 4524, 1971 and amendments
thereto are hereby repealed.
Schedules
87.
The schedules annexed to this Bylaw shall be deemed to be an integral part of it and
the definitions in Schedule "A" shall apply to Schedule "B" and "C".
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List of Schedules:
Schedule "A" - Definitions for Schedules
Schedule "B" - Prohibited Waste
Schedule "C" - Restricted Waste
Adopted March 30, 2015
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Schedule "A"
Definitions for Schedules
In the schedules to this Bylaw:
"Air" means the atmosphere but, except in a Sewer or a Sewage Facility or as the context may
otherwise require, does not include the atmosphere inside a human-made enclosure that is not
open to the weather;
"Air Pollution" means the presence of Air Contaminants or substances that substantially alter or
impair the usefulness of the Air;
"Air Contaminant" means an "air contaminant" as defined in the Environmental Management
Act;
"Domestic Waste" means
(a) Waste produced on a Residential Premises, or
(b) Sanitary Waste and Sewerage from showers and restroom washbasins
produced on non-residential property;
"Grab Sample" means a sample collected at one particular time and place;
"GVS&DD" means the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District;
"Hazardous Waste Regulation" means the Hazardous Waste Regulation as amended from time
to time pursuant to the Environmental Management Act;
"Non-Domestic Waste" means all Sewerage except Domestic Waste, Sanitary Waste, Storm
Water, Uncontaminated Water, and Septic Tank Waste;
"Residential Premises" means a building or premises or part of a building or premises used or
intended to be used solely for the purpose of a residential dwelling, whether on a permanent,
temporary or seasonal basis;
"Sanitary Waste" means Sewerage that contains human feces, urine, blood or body fluids
originating from sanitary conveniences or other sources;
"Septic Tank Waste" means any Waste extracted from a cesspool, septic tank, sewage holding
tank, seepage pit, interceptors or other containment for human excretion and Waste;
"Sewage Facility" means works owned by the City or the GVS&DD or otherwise under the
control or jurisdiction of the City or the GVS&DD that gathers, treats, transports, stores, utilizes
or discharges Sewerage;
"Sewer" means all pipes, conduits, drains, and other equipment and facilities, owned or
otherwise under the control or jurisdiction of the City or the GVS&DD, for collecting, pumping,
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and transporting Sewerage either to a Sewage Facility or otherwise and includes but is not
limited to all such pipes, conduits, drains and other equipment and facilities which connect with
those of the City and the GVSⅅ
"Standard Methods" means the latest edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of
Water and Sewerage" jointly prepared and published from time to time by the American Public
Health Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation
or any successors thereto;
"Storm Water" means Drainage water resulting from rainfall or other natural precipitation from
the atmosphere and includes, but is not limited to, water from melting snow or naturally
occurring ice;
"Uncontaminated Water" means:
(a) water in its natural state, that, after use for any purpose, is not substantially changed
from its natural state as to chemical or biochemical qualities or temperature;
(b) water supplied by Municipal Works that, after use for any purpose, is not
substantially changed from its state at the point of delivery from the Municipal Works as
to chemical or biochemical qualities or temperature; and
(c) clean water from roof drains, building foundations, wells, and cisterns;
"Waste" means any substance, whether gaseous, liquid or solid, that is discharged or discarded,
directly or indirectly, to a Sewer or Sewage Facility;
"Sewerage" means the composite of water and water-carried Waste from residential,
commercial, industrial or institutional premises or any other source;
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SCHEDULE "B"
Prohibited Waste
The following are designated as Prohibited Waste for the purposes of this Bylaw:
1. FLAMMABLE OR EXPLOSIVE WASTE
Any Waste which is capable of causing or contributing to an explosion or supporting
combustion in any Sewer or Sewage Facility including, but not limited to, gasoline, benzene,
naptha, diesel or other fuel oil, Waste crankcase oil and sludge resulting from the manufacture
of acetylene.
2. WASTE CAUSING OBSTRUCTION OR INTERFERENCE
Any Waste which is capable of obstructing the flow of or interfering with the operation or
performance of any Sewer or Sewage Facility including, but not limited to earth, sand, ash,
glass, tar, asphalt, plastic, wood, Waste portions of animals, fish or fowl, and solidified fat.
3. WASTE CAUSING AIR POLLUTION
Any Waste, other than Sanitary Waste, that causes Air Pollution outside any Sewer or Sewage
Facility.
4. HIGH TEMPERATURE CREATING WASTE
a) Any Waste which may create heat in amounts which will interfere with the operation
and maintenance of the Sewer or Sewage Facility or with the treatment of Waste in a
Sewage Facility;
b) Any Waste which will raise the temperature of Waste entering any Sewage Facility to
40 degrees Centigrade (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or more;
c) Any Non-Domestic Waste with a temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade (150 degrees
Fahrenheit) or more.
5. RADIOACTIVE WASTE (NUCLEAR SUBSTANCES)
Any Waste that, at the point of discharge into a Sewer, is defined as a Nuclear Substance under
the federal Nuclear Safety and Control Act.
6. BIOMEDICAL WASTE
Any Waste that, at the point of discharge into a sewer, contains Biomedical Waste as defined in
the Hazardous Waste Regulation as amended from time to time pursuant to the Environmental
Management Act.
7. SPECIFIED RISK MATERIAL FOR BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY
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Any Waste containing the specified risk material as defined in the federal Fertilizers Regulations
(C.R.C., c. 666), as amended from time to time, including material from the skull, brain,
trigeminal ganglia, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of cattle aged 30 months or
older, or material from the distal ileum of cattle of all ages.
8. HAZARDOUS WASTE
Any Waste defined as Hazardous Waste in the Environmental Management Act with the
exception of Hazardous Waste in compliance with the effluent standards contained in Schedule
1.2, Column 3 of the Hazardous Waste Regulation.
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SCHEDULE "C"
Restricted Waste
The following are designated as Restricted Waste for the purposes of this Bylaw:
1. PARTICLE SIZE WASTE
Any Non-Domestic Waste, including that from cooking and handling of food, that at the point of
discharge into a Sewer, contains particles larger than 0.5 centimetres in any dimension.
2. pH WASTE
Any Non-Domestic Waste which, at the point of discharge into a Sewer, has a pH lower than 5.5
or higher than 10.5.
3. WASTE CAUSING INTERFERENCE OR INJURY
Any Waste in a concentration or quantity which may interfere with the proper operation of a
Sewer or Sewage Facility or which may injure or is capable of injuring the health of any person,
property, or life form.
4. WASTE PRODUCING AIR CONTAMINANTS
Any Waste, other than Sanitary Waste, that is capable of emitting into the air within a Sewer or
Sewage Facility any substance that injures or is capable of injuring the health or safety of a
person, or that causes or is capable of causing material physical discomfort to a person.
5. CORROSIVE WASTE
Any Waste with corrosive properties which may cause damage to any Sewer or Sewage Facility.
6. SPECIFIED WASTE
Any Sewerage which, at the point of discharge into a Sewer, contains any substance with a
concentration in excess of the levels set out in Tables (A), (B) or (C) below. All concentrations
are expressed as total concentrations, which include all forms of the contaminant, combined or
uncombined, whether dissolved or undissolved obtained from a Grab Sample. Definitions and
methods of analysis for these substances are outlined in Standard Methods or methods
specified by the Director of Engineering.
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Table A - Conventional Contaminants
Contaminant
Maximum Concentration (mg/L)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
500
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
600
Total Oil and grease1 (O&G - Total)
150
Oil and grease (Hydrocarbon)
(O&G - Hydrocarbon)
15
Note: Total Oil and grease includes Oil and grease (Hydrocarbons)
Table B - Organic Contaminants
Contaminant
Maximum Concentration (mg/L)
Phenols
1.0
Chlorophenols
0.05
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(PAHs)
0.05
Benzene
0.1
Total BETX3
1.0
Notes:
1. Chlorophenols include:
a. tetrachlorophenols (2,3,4,5-, 2,3,4,6-, 2,3,5,6-)
b. pentachlorphenol
2. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) include:
acenapthene
chrysene
acenaphthylene
dibenzo(a,h)anthracene
anthracene
fluoranthene
benzo(a)anthracene
fluorene
benzo(b)fluoranthene
naphthalene
benzo(k)fluoranthene
phenanthrene
benzo(g,h,i)perylene
pyrene
benzo(a)pyrene
indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene
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3. 3BETX include:
benzene
ethylbenzene
toluene
xylenes
Table C - Inorganic Contaminants
Contaminant
Maximum Concentration (mg/L)
Aluminum
50.0
Arsenic
1.0
Boron
50.0
Cadmium
0.20
Chromium
4.0
Cobalt
5.0
Copper
2.0
Iron
10.0
Lead
1.0
Manganese
5.0
Mercury
0.05
Molybdenum
1.0
Nickel
2.0
Selenium
1.0
Silver
1.0
Zinc
3.0
Cyanide
1.0
Sulphide
1.0
Sulphate
1500
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