Public Sewerage Systems Regulations
Regulation- Registration
- R-014-2004
- Source
- Unofficial consolidation PDF (justice.gov.nt.ca)
- Under
- Public Health Act
This is an unofficial reading copy parsed from the Department of Justice consolidation PDF above — itself an office consolidation, not an official statement of the law. The authoritative text is in the Revised Statutes of the Northwest Territories, 1988 and the annual Statutes volumes.
INTERPRETATION
In these regulations,
"approval" or "approved" means approval or approved in writing by the Chief Public Health Officer; (approbation)
"operator" means the owner or operator of any public sewerage system; (exploitant)
"public sewerage system" means any sewerage system that serves more than five households or that serves an institution with more than 50 occupants; (réseau d’égouts public)
"sewage" includes industrial waste; (eaux usées)
"sewage pumping station" means a construction that contains sewage pumps and their appurtenances; (station de pompage des eaux usées)
"sewer" means a pipe or conduit that conducts sewage and other liquid wastes; (égout)
"sewerage system" means a complete system including all units for the collection, transportation, pumping, treatment and final disposition of sewage; (réseau d’égouts)
"utilidor" means a boxing that contains any water, hot water or steam heating pipe or sewer. (coffrage) R-099-2009,s.2.
APPLICATION, APPROVAL, INSPECTION,
PART I
CLOSURE AND APPEAL
Application
(1) Subject to subsection (2), these regulations apply to every public sewerage system.
(2) These regulations do not apply to a public sewerage system constructed before the coming into force of these regulations, but these regulations shall apply if
(a) in the opinion of the Chief Public Health Officer a public sewerage system becomes a health hazard; or
(b) changes or repairs are required to a public sewerage system.
(3) Nothing in these regulations is deemed to revoke anything contained in any applicable building code or regulation, but where there is a conflict between these regulations and the building code or regulation, these regulations shall apply. R-099-2009,s.3.
Approval
(1) No person shall construct, alter or add to a public sewerage system unless the construction, alteration or addition has been approved.
(2) No person shall operate a public sewerage system except in accordance with these regulations.
Inspection
(1) The Chief Public Health Officer may, at any reasonable time, enter any premises of a public sewerage system and examine the premises and anything in the premises that is used in connection with the operation of the public sewerage system.
(2) Where the Chief Public Health Officer authorizes a public health officer to conduct an examination under this section, the public health officer shall make a written report to the Chief Public Health Officer of the details of the examination and shall provide a copy of the report to the operator.
(3) If the Chief Public Health Officer is of the opinion that any provision of these regulations is not being complied with, he or she shall advise the operator in writing of the details of the non-compliance and make recommendations or issue such direction to the operator as the Chief Public Health Officer considers necessary to secure compliance. R-099-2009,s.4.
Closure and Appeal
(1) Where the Chief Public Health Officer is satisfied that the disposal of sewage or effluent creates a health hazard, he or she may order closure of the public sewerage system.
(2) An operator may appeal in writing to the Minister within 48 hours after receiving a closure order under subsection (1) and the Minister shall either revoke or confirm the order. R-014-2004,s.2; R-099-2009,s.5.
PART II
SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE
PUMPING STATIONS
General Principles
(1) No final disposal of effluent from a sewerage system shall be carried out in a manner that creates
(a) a health hazard with respect to water supplies, swimming beaches or any body of water in the area; or
(b) aesthetically unacceptable conditions with respect to temperature, turbidity, colour, taste or odour of any stream or body of flowing water in the area.
(2) The buildings and grounds of a sewage treatment system shall be kept neat, tidy and attractive in appearance and no offensive odour shall be allowed to emanate from the building and grounds that is noticeable to persons residing in or occupying buildings situated nearby.
(3) Industrial wastes that are, in the opinion of the Chief Public Health Officer, of a nature that will adversely affect the sewers, sewage treatment system or final effluent shall be either pretreated to render them harmless or excluded from the sewerage system. R-099-2009,s.6.
Design
(1) The design of sewers and sewage pumping stations shall be adequate to ensure that the gathering, treatment and final disposal of sewage does not create a health hazard.
(2) No sewage shall be allowed to bypass the sewage treatment system unless it is disposed of in a manner that will not create a health hazard.
(3) A sewer that runs below the surface of a stream or other surface water body shall be constructed with
(a) flexible water-tight joints;
(b) accessible valves at both ends of the water crossing to permit isolation of the section for test or repair; and
(c) taps for testing and locating leaks.
(4) A sewer that crosses under a railway shall conform to the standards and requirements of those regulations established by the National Transportation Agency cited as Pipe Crossings under Railways Regulations.
(5) All electrical equipment in any enclosed place where gas could accumulate shall comply with the National Board of Fire Underwriters’ specifications for hazardous conditions.
(6) As-built construction plans shall be maintained, and shall be amended to include additions, extensions and renovations.
PART III
PROTECTION OF WATER SUPPLIES
(1) There shall be no physical connection between any potable water supply system and a sewer or appurtenance to a sewer, which would permit the passage of any sewage or polluted water into the potable water supply.
(2) No sewer shall be so located as to be a contamination hazard to water wells or other water supply sources.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), no water main shall be laid within 3 m of a sewer.
(4) Where a water main must cross a sewer or it is clearly impracticable to comply with subsection (3), then, at any point within 3 m of the sewer,
(a) the bottom of the water main shall be not less than 450 mm above the top of the sewer; and
(b) the water main shall not rest on undisturbed soil.
(5) Where a sewer is laid closer than 3 m to a water main, the sewer shall be of an approved type of water-tight construction and shall be constructed as follows:
(a) there shall be a 150 mm bed of well- tamped granular soil below the pipes, and any over-excavation shall be replaced by granular fill which shall be tamped in layers no less than 150 mm thick to 90% by the standard Proctor test;
(b) where the pipes are laid parallel, there shall be a minimum horizontal distance of 230 mm space between the outsides of the pipe barrels and 150 mm space between the walls of the trench and the outside of the pipe barrels;
(c) where the pipes are laid parallel, water mains shall be routed around sewage manholes so that there is a 150 mm minimum space between the outside of the pipe barrel and the outside of the manhole;
(d) where pipes cross there shall be adequate support on each side of the crossing for both pipes so that there will be no stresses in either pipe caused by one pipe settling on the other. Pipe sections shall be centred at the crossing so that there is a maximum distance from the crossing to all joints. Both pipes shall be pressure tested to assure that there are no leaks;
(e) bright coloured plastic ribbons of no less than 150 mm width shall be laid in strips 150 mm above the pipes and parallel to them to serve as a warning to the operator of a digging machine to avoid damage to the pipes.
(6) Where water and sewer pipes are contained in a utilidor, there shall be adequate provision for drainage in order to prevent contamination of the water supply during repairs and breakdowns.
PART IV
SEWAGE TREATMENT
Design
Sewage treatment systems shall be designed to provide for adequate protection of the receiving water considering the possible uses of the receiving water.
Safety
Adequate provision shall be made to protect the operator and visitors from hazards and the following shall be provided according to the particular needs of each plant:
(a) enclosure of the plant site with a fence designed to discourage the entrance of unauthorized persons and animals;
(b) installation of hand-rails and guards where necessary;
(c) provision of first-aid equipment;
(d) posting of "No Smoking" signs in hazardous areas;
(e) provisions of protective clothing and equipment including gas masks, goggles and gloves;
(f) provision of portable blower and sufficient hose for emergency ventilation.
Chlorination
(1) Where the Chief Public Health Officer considers that a public health hazard may be created by sewage treatment system effluent, the effluent shall be disinfected by the use of chlorine or other chemicals.
(2) The use of equipment designed to feed chlorine gas in solution shall be used for larger installations but hypochlorinators may be used for treatment at smaller facilities instead of chlorine gas feeding equipment.
(3) Where gas chlorine is used, a canister-type respirator equipped with a full face mask and specifically designed to protect against chlorine shall be in a location handy to the operator, and a new canister shall be obtained each time the mask is used.
(4) Safety chains shall be used to retain 68 kg cylinders of chlorine gas, either in storage or on weigh scales, in a safe upright position.
(5) The chlorinator building or room shall have ample forced air ventilation.
(6) Where gas chlorination equipment and chlorine containers are placed in an area of a building used for other purposes, a tight partition shall separate this area from any other portion of the building, and there shall be a door leading directly from this partitioned area directly to the exterior.
(7) Areas containing chlorine or chlorinator equipment shall be clearly marked "DANGER! CHLORINE STORAGE" or "DANGER! CHLORINE FEED EQUIPMENT" as applicable.
(8) For disinfection, the chlorinator capacity should be adequate to produce a residual of 1 mg/R in the final effluent.
(9) After thorough mixing, a minimum contact period of 15 minutes at peak hourly flow or maximum rate of pumpage shall be provided for disinfection, and the chlorine contact tank shall be so constructed as to reduce to a practical minimum the short-circuiting of flow. R-099-2009,s.7.
Territorial Printer, Northwest Territories Yellowknife, N.W.T./2009©