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Municipality of the County of Colchester
Septic Waste Disposal By-law
TITLE
1
This By-law is made pursuant to Section 333 of the Municipal Government Act, S.N.S.
1998, c. 18 and may be cited as the Septic Waste Disposal By-law for the Municipality of
the County of Colchester and shall apply to the Municipality of the County of Colchester.
INTERPRETATION
2
In this By-law the word "shall" is mandatory and not permissive. Words used in the
present tense shall include the future. Words used in the singular shall include the plural
except where otherwise indicated and words used in the plural shall include the singular.
DEFINITIONS
3 (a)
COUNCIL means the Municipal Council of the Municipality of the County of Colchester.
(b)
MUNICIPAL ENGINEER means the Director of Public Works of the County of
Colchester and his or her delegate(s).
(c) DOMESTIC WASTE means waste derived principally from residential dwellings and
excludes waste derived from commercial or industrial uses.
(d) MUNICIPALITY means the Municipality of the County of the Colchester or the area
contained within its municipal boundaries as the context requires.
(e) PERSON means any individual, firm, company, association, society, corporation or
group.
(f)
SANITARY SEWER means a sewer for the collection and transmission of domestic,
commercial, and industrial wastewater or any of them and to which uncontaminated or
cooling water, storm, surface and ground water are not intentionally admitted.
(g) SEPTIC WASTE means the contents of septic tanks, holding tanks, or other private
sewage disposal systems for domestic waste, which are not directly connected to a
central sewage disposal system, and specifically excludes contents of portable privies,
recreational vehicles or such other mobile waste units that may use chemicals that
destroy or prohibit the growth of sludge micro organisms or cultures.
(h)
SEPTIC WASTE DISPOSAL COMPANY means a company registered under this by-law
to collect septic waste and dispose of it at a Wastewater Treatment Plant.
(i)
SEPTIC WASTE DISPOSAL VEHICLE means a vehicle owned and operated by a septic
waste disposal company and used for the purposes of transporting septic waste to a
Wastewater Treatment Plant.
(j)
SEPTIC WASTE DISPOSAL SYSTEM means a system for wastewater treatment or
disposal or both, including, but not limited to, septic tanks and disposal fields or pumpout
tanks.
(k)
SEWERAGE SYSTEM means all pipes, mains, equipment, buildings and structures for
collecting, pumping or treatment or wastewater and operated by the Municipality, but
does not include a storm sewer.
(l)
SLUDGE means the semi-solid matter produced by the wastewater or sewage
treatment process
(m) WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT means a treatment plant owned by the
Municipality and located in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.
ADMINISTRATION AND AUTHORITY
4(1)
The Director of Public Works for the Municipality and his or her delegates may conduct
inspections and take steps to administer and enforce this by-law or remedy a
contravention of this by-law.
DISPOSAL
5(1)
All septic waste originating within the Municipality may be disposed of at those
wastewater treatment plants as Council may designate and set out in Schedule A.
(2)
Council may designate and set out in Schedule A which geographic areas or districts
within the Municipality may dispose of their septic waste in a given wastewater treatment
plant.
REGISTRATION
6(1)
All persons disposing of septic waste at a wastewater treatment plant must be:
(a) registered with the Department of Environment and Labour, and;
(b) licensed with the Municipality as a septic waste disposal company on an annual
basis.
6(2)
Any person requiring a septic waste disposal company license under section 6(1)(b)
shall make application to the Municipality on such form prescribed by the Municipality, on
an annual basis, and pay the appropriate fee as listed in Schedule A.
6 (3)
Any person discharging or causing to be discharged septic waste into a wastewater
treatment plant shall comply with the following:
a) only domestic septic waste from a private septic waste system may be
discharged to a wastewater treatment plant, unless other materials are
specifically noted on the septic waste disposal company license; and,
b) all septic waste shall comply to the limits specified in the Schedules attached to
this by-law; and,
c) the septic waste vehicle operator shall ensure no septic waste is deposited on
the ground at the wastewater treatment plant.
TESTING
7(1)
The contents of all septic waste disposal vehicles disposing of septic waste at a
wastewater treatment plant may be subject to sampling, monitoring and analysis by the
wastewater treatment plant operators at any time.
PROHIBITIONS
8 (1)
No person shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in a wastewater treatment plant any
septic waste or material that is:
a) waste other than domestic waste;
b) a liquid or vapour having a temperature excess of sixty (60) degrees Celsius.
c) inflammable or explosive matter;
d) a quantity of matter capable or obstructing the flow in, or interfering with, the
proper operation of a part of the sewerage system or treatment process;
e) septic waste that has any corrosive property that could be hazardous to
structures, equipment or personnel;
f) septic waste of such quality that an offensive odour or foam could emanate from
the wastewater treatment plant or that could cause a nuisance;
g) septic waste containing fish or animal offal or pathological or medical wastes;
h) septic waste containing animal fats, wax, grease or vegetable oil in liquid or solid
form in concentrations exceeding levels that Council may establish and set out in
Schedule B.
i) septic waste containing herbicides, pesticides, xenobiotics, polychlorinated
biphenols or radioactive materials that are not approved for disposal in a sanitary
sewer by the Atomic Energy Control Board of Canada;
j) septic waste containing any chemical that destroys or prohibits the growth of
sludge micro organisms or cultures.
k) septic waste in concentrations of suspended solids that exceed the limit specified
in attached Schedule B.
l) septic waste that contains toxic substances in excess of the concentrations that
Council may establish and set out in Schedule B.
m) septic waste containing substances for which special treatment or disposal
practices are required by any applicable enactments of Canada or the Province.
n) ashes, cinders, garbage, sand, potters clay, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass,
rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, cellulose or other solid or viscous substances
capable of causing obstruction or other interference with the proper operation of
the sludge disposal system.
and compliance with any limit may not be attainable simply by dilution.
QUANTITIES
9 (1)
All septic waste disposals may be subject to measurement with a flow metre for the
purposes of determining the quantity of septic waste contained in the disposal.
LIMITS PER SEPTIC WASTE DISPOSAL VEHICLE
10(1) Council may set limits for the amount, by litre, of septic waste allowable per disposal
from a septic waste disposal vehicle, and those shall be set out in Schedule B.
(2)
If the amount of septic waste contained in the septic waste disposal vehicle exceeds the
limits set by council through policy, the wastewater treatment plant has the right to
refuse that septic waste disposal vehicle's disposal in total or in part.
LIMITS PER DAY
11(1) Council may set limits for the daily total amount of septic waste disposed of in the
wastewater treatment plant and those limits shall be set out in Schedule B.
(2)
If the total amount of septic waste disposed of in one day in the wastewater treatment
plant has reached the limits established by Council and set out in Schedule A, the
wastewater treatment plant has the right to refuse any further septic waste disposal for
the remainder of that day in total or in part.
REFUSAL BY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
12(1) Any employee of the Municipality shall have the authority to prohibit or discontinue a
disposal of septic waste from a septic waste disposal vehicle. Such order shall be based
on the employee's reasonable belief that a discharge may be in violation of the By-law.
DISPOSAL FORM
13(1) All drivers of septic waste disposal vehicles shall at the time of each disposal present a
completed septic waste disposal form (Form A).
(2)
Any septic waste disposal vehicle may be refused by the wastewater treatment plant if
the septic waste disposal form (Form A) is not completed.
(3)
The Municipality has the authority to audit the disposal forms including communicating
with the property owner identified to verify the information contained on the disposal
form.
(4)
Any septic waste disposal vehicle will be refused if the septic waste disposal form (Form
A) is completed falsely and the license of the person who provided the false information
shall be terminated in accordance with Section 16(3) of this By-law.
FEE PER LITRE OF SEPTIC WASTE
14(1) The septic waste disposal company will pay a fee per litre of septic waste disposed of in
accordance with the fees set out in Schedule A and all septic waste disposal companies shall
pay such fee within 45 days following the disposal of septic waste.
(2)
If a septic waste disposal company does not pay the fee per litre of septic waste as
determined by council by policy within 45 days of receiving the disposal, the septic waste
disposal company's license under this by-law shall be suspended for non-payment until
the septic waste disposal company's account is paid in full.
(3)
Council may, by any means available to it under any municipal by-law or under the
Municipal Government Act, S.N.S. 1998, c. 18, collect amounts owing and unpaid fees
pursuant to this section.
BUSINESS HOURS
15(1) The Director of Public Works or his or her designate will determine the days and hours
during which septic waste may be disposed of at the wastewater treatment plant.
SUSPENSION
16(1) Every septic waste disposal company or driver of a septic waste disposal vehicle who
contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of the provisions of this By-law shall, on a first
contravention or failure to comply, receive a temporary suspension of 30 days of their
license.
(2)
Every septic waste disposal company or driver of a septic waste disposal vehicle who
contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of the provisions of this by-law shall, on a
second contravention or failure to comply, receive a temporary suspension of 90 days of
their license.
(3)
Every septic waste disposal company or driver of a septic waste disposal vehicle who
contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of the provisions of this By-law shall, on any
contravention thereafter or subsequent failure to comply, be terminated and is prohibited
from apply for a new license for a period of 12 months following the date of termination.
PENALTIES
17(1) Notwithstanding any other By-law of the Municipality, and in addition to section 16 of this
By-law, any person who contravenes any provision of this By-law is punishable on
summary conviction by a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $5,000.00 and
in default of payment to imprisonment of not more than 90 days.
(2)
Where an offence occurs under this By-law and continues for more than one day, the
person is guilty of a separate offence for each day the offence continues.
THIS IS TO CERTIFY, that amendments to Chapter 11 - Septic Waste Disposal By-law, was duly approved at a
duly called meeting of Municipal Council of the Municipality of the County of Colchester, duly convened and
held on the 30th day of January, A.D. 2020.
GIVEN under the hand of the Municipal Clerk and under the corporate seal of said Municipality this 10th day of
February, A.D. 2020.
Rob Simonds
Municipal Clerk
First Reading: October 30, 2019
Notice of Intent: January 9 and 16, 2020
Second Reading: January 30, 2020
Notice of Approval: February 6, 2020
I, Rob Simonds, Municipal Clerk of the Municipality of the
County of Colchester, do hereby certify that the adjacent
Notice of Approval is a true copy of the Notice of Approval
of Chapter 11 - Septic Waste Disposal By-law duly
advertised in the Thursday, February 6, 2020, issue of
the Truro News.
GIVEN under the hand of the Municipal Clerk and under
the corporate seal of said Municipality this 10th day of
February, A.D. 2020.
Rob Simonds
Municipal Clerk
SCHEDULE A
1. Licensing Fee
(1)
The annual licensing fee for a septic waste company license is set out in the
Municipal Fees Policy approved by Municipal Council .
2. Fee Per Litre
(1) The fee for accepting Septage waste at the Tatamagouche Wastewater Treatment
Plant is set out in the Municipal Fees Policy approved by Municipal Council .
3. Designated Treatment Plants and Service Area
(1) The following are the Wastewater Treatment Plants that are able to accept septic
waste discharge in accordance with this by-law:
(i) Tatamagouche Wastewater Treatment Plant to receive septic waste
collected from residences in the communities contained within the
boundaries of District No. 7 of the Municipality of the County of Colchester
described as follows:
-
Bounded on the north by Adams Creek, the Basin, Tatamagouche
Bay, Barrachois Harbour, Amet Sound and Brule Harbour.
-
Bounded on the east by the County line.
-
Bounded on the south by District 6 and the north boundary of
Onslow Township.
-
Bounded on the west by the west boundary of the Township of
New Annan and the Cumberland County line.
SCHEDULE B
Guidelines for Tatamagouche Wastewater Treatment Facility (APlant@)
1. Daily Limits
(1) The total daily volume of septage sludge received at the Plant is limited to 7500
litres with a solids content of 1.5%. The total daily amount of solids received at
the Plant is limited to 112.5 kilograms.
2. Sludge Content
(1) The solid content of sludge cannot exceed 4% regardless of volume to be
dumped at the Plant.