Liquid Waste Management Programs

The Capital Regional District (CRD) provides a wide range of operational, educational and regulatory services to help households and businesses manage stormwater, wastewater and other liquid wastes. The goals of these services are to protect human health, the environment, publicly owned sewer infrastructure, wastewater treatment & stormwater systems and privately own sewer infrastructure and septic systems in the region.

Liquid Waste Management Plans

Marine Assessment and Research

Since the early 1990s, the CRD Marine Monitoring Program has delivered marine assessment and research services for the Capital Region. Program staff are involved with the sampling and analysis of the marine environment including the surface water, water column, seafloor, and benthic communities associated with the CRD's eight wastewater outfalls.

Staff are also involved with sampling and analysis of wastewater at the eight CRD-operated wastewater treatment plants. The work fulfills and goes beyond BC Provincial environmental monitoring requirements but also helps ensure that the CRD and the Regional Source Control program are proactively addressing the impact of current and emerging contaminants and anything that CRD wastewater treatment plants are effective in wastewater treatment.

Regional Source Control

The Regional Source Control program (RSCP) provides regulatory and educational services to help promote the proper discharge of waste into sewers that are connected to a sewage facility operated by the CRD. 

This pollution prevention initiative aims to reduce the amount of contaminants that industries, businesses, institutions and households discharge into the district’s sanitary sewer systems.  

The RSCP focuses on the reduction or elimination of contaminants before they enter the sewer system rather than treating them after they have been mixed with other wastes.  

Source control is a cost-effective way to protect the environment and wastewater systems. 

The program has been active region-wide since the adoption of the CRD’s Sewer Use Bylaw in August 1994. 

Stormwater Quality Monitoring

Since the late 1990’s, the CRD has operated a stormwater quality monitoring service that samples stormwater in storm drains and at discharge points into our creeks and nearshore marine environment for potential contaminants. 

The aim of the monitoring is to identify sources of contamination and assess potential impacts to public and environmental health. The data is summarized in annual reports and used by our municipal partners, other jurisdictions and the community for source control, clean-up, infrastructure upgrades and restoration activities. 

Inflow and Infiltration

The Core Area Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) program provides educational services to the public and technical support to municipalities to help promote the reduction of the amount of rainwater and groundwater entering the sanitary sewer system.

The program has been active region-wide since the early 1990s. 

Onsite Wastewater Management

The cost of onsite wastewater treatment and disposal falls on the system owner in areas where sewers are either unavailable or too expensive. The Onsite Wastewater Management Program (OWMP) endeavours to support and encourage private owners in proper care and maintenance of their treatment and disposal systems in order to ensure a healthy, sustainable region. The Onsite Wastewater Management program provides both educational and regulatory services to the residents who own and operate an onsite wastewater treatment system (septic system).

The program has been providing region-wide (excluding Salt Spring Island and Southern Gulf Island) educational services since 2000 and regulatory services to View Royal, Colwood, Langford and Saanich since 2007. 

Trucked Liquid Waste

Trucked liquid waste is liquid waste that cannot be legally disposed of down the sanitary sewer or in the stormwater system because of the level of contamination or health/environmental risk it poses.

Was this page helpful?

Feedback details

You will NOT receive a reply because this form is anonymous. To get an answer to a question, email us at webdesk@crd.bc.ca

Abstract teal and navy blue butterfly illustrations.

Territorial Acknowledgement

The CRD conducts its business within the Territories of many First Nations, all of whom have a long-standing relationship with the land and waters from time immemorial that continues to this day. Statement of Reconciliation