Based on information obtained from the surveys and the provincial government, Ecojustice has compiled detailed information on overflows and bypasses in specific communities across Ontario (Table 2). The full text results will be the focus of an upcoming investigative report. Below are data from six representative samples. Table 2: Municipal Overflows and Bypasses, 2006 City
Total reported combined sewer overflows (litres)
Total bypasses (total and secondary) (litres)
Total known or reported incidentsa
Toronto
Yes
80
9,900,000,000
4,033,900,000
34
No
23
-
4,605,568,000
31
Niagara Falls
Yes
25
74,728,000
478,327,000
19/151b
St. Catharines
Yes
65
312,000,000
123,524,000
42/69c
26
Windsor
Yes
London
Yes
Owen Sound
Yes
b c
Green Infrastructure
Number of CSO outfalls
Hamilton
NOTES: a
Pa g e 1 4
Responded to survey
13
unknown
2,652,500,000
129
unknown
251,000,000
24
10,130,000
6,577,000
5
Note: All results are based on 2006 data, except for St. Catharines CSO data, Owen Sound data, or where noted differently below, which are based on 2007 data. Incidents refer to either sewage treatment plant bypasses or sewer overflows or sometimes both. The city reported 19 CSO events that occurred in 2007. Provincial records show 151 incidents involving the release of partially treated or raw sewage due to wet weather in 2006. The city reported that the worst CSO location can overflow up to 42 times a year, but plans will reduce this to once every two years. Provincial records show 69 sewage release incidents occurred in 2006.
ECOJUSTICE