Backgrounder

March 27, 2008

INTERIM LIMITS ON PHOSPHORUS DISCHARGES TO LAKE SIMCOE

Ontario has set new interim limits on sewage plants and stormwater facilities around Lake Simcoe to target phosphorus, a key water quality concern for the lake.

Some phosphorus is important to ecosystem health but too much leads to excessive plant growth in the lake. When this growth decays it consumes the oxygen which fish need to live. Phosphorus enters the lake from sewage plants, storm sewers, urban and agricultural run-off, and airborne particles.

The new interim regulation will cut the amount of phosphorus entering Lake Simcoe from specific municipal and industrial sources by:

• limiting phosphorus discharges from municipal and industrial sewage plants
• stopping new plants that would discharge phosphorus
• making new stormwater facilities serving new development meet the highest design standards

These rules are in place from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. They will help protect the lake’s water quality until the government brings in comprehensive new laws and measures to protect the lake.

The regulation puts a new annual phosphorous loading limit on each of the 14 municipal sewage treatment plants and the one industrial plant in the Lake Simcoe watershed. Together, these 15 plants are legally permitted to discharge up to approximately 12.5 tonnes of phosphorus each year.  The new limits cut this total loading to 7.3 tonnes a year for the period of the regulation. 

Limits for each sewage treatment plant were set in consultation with the municipality and the industry. The municipal limits were set to accommodate development that is approved and scheduled to be hooked up to a sewage system before March 31, 2009.

The final interim regulation (Ontario Regulation 60/08) is posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights registry. The registry number is 010-2246.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about protecting Lake Simcoe. 

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Contacts:	Contact information for the general public:
John Karapita, Minister’s Office, 416-314-6736 John Steele, Communications Branch, 416-314-6666	416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment

 

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