Macaulay & Clover Point
The Macaulay and Clover Point long outfalls have been in use since the 1970's. At the moment, the wastewater passes through fine, six-millimetre screens that remove solid objects larger than a thumbtack. These solids are taken to the Hartland Landfill.
The remaining wastewater is jetted out through two multi-port outfalls at least 60 metres below the surface off Macaulay Point and Clover Point where it mixes quickly with seawater and is dispersed by strong tidal currents in the Juan de Fuca Strait.
Monitoring at the Macaulay and Clover Point outfalls includes:
- measuring wastewater flows every few minutes to make sure they do not exceed permitted amounts
- testing wastewater samples for many priority substances every month and more than 200 substances every three months
- checking surface water near each outfall every month for fecal coliform levels
- assessing the health of the seafloor and organisms living near each outfall every year
Plans are underway to provide wastewater treatment in Greater Victoria. The Wastewater and Marine Environment program will be reviewed in light of future decisions on treatment.
General findings in 2008
The CRD’s scientific studies have found that minor effects resulting from the discharge are observed to a limited area of sediment approximately the size of a football field around each outfall. Oxygen levels remain well above the levels needed to sustain a healthy marine environment.
There has been little change in seafloor organisms (benthic communities) around the Macaulay Point outfall and studies of horse mussel populations near Clover Point show no harmful effects.
Surface water sampling found that fecal coliform levels remained well below BC’s guidelines to protect swimmers at recreational beaches, although there were some incidents of higher short-term levels in the winter near the end of the outfalls. Read more 