Municipal wastewater
Wastewater from cities or towns is typically collected through a sewer system and treated at a municipal wastewater treatment facility. The Ministry of the Environment regulates more than 470 municipally-owned wastewater treatment facilities in Ontario that are operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), the municipality, or a private company.
Private wastewater
Wastewater facilities owned by a private company or situated on private property are classified as “private” wastewater or sewage treatment facilities. Private systems can include residential, commercial, industrial and institutional facilities.
The Ministry of the Environment regulates approximately 3,500 private wastewater treatment facilities in Ontario.
The ministry requires most municipal and private facilities to obtain an Environmental Approval before they can establish, use, expand or make changes to equipment for the collection, transmission, treatment or disposal of wastewater (sewage works).
Plumbing such as sink and toilet drain pipes and connections is regulated through the Building Code Act.
Sewage works with a design capacity of less than 10,000 litres per day and do not discharge directly to surface water are usually regulated through the Building Code Act. The act is administered by the local planning authority such as the municipality or conservation authority.
For more details consult the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Ontario Building Code section.
Learn more
Disclaimer: Please note that the Ministry of the Environment is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse the information on websites that are linked from this site.
- The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Municipal Performance Measurement Program
- Ontario Centre for Municipal Best Practices/Ontario Municipal Knowledge Network
- National Water and Wastewater Benchmarking Initiative
- Municipal Benchmarking Initiative
- Operator Certification
- Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office
