Saanich Peninsula
The Saanich Peninsula Treatment Plant discharges secondary treated wastewater through a multi-port outfall into Bazan Bay.
Monitoring at the Saanich Peninsula Treatment Plant includes:
- analysing wastewater weekly and monthly to check compliance and treatment plant performance parameters
- testing wastewater samples every three months for more than 200 priority substances
- checking surface water near the outfall every month for fecal coliform levels and nutrients
- assessing the health of the seafloor and organisms living near the outfall every four years
Marine Programs commissioned an extensive marine assessment program a year before the Saanich Peninsula Treatment Plant began operating in 2000. This was followed by rigorous monitoring and testing after the treatment plant was operational. The results from these pre- and post-discharge programs were used to develop a long-term Wastewater and Marine Environment Program.
General findings
The CRD’s scientific studies have found that the wastewater complies with the treatment plant’s operating certificate.
About half of the more than 200 substances monitored are not detected, and those found are not in concentrations that would cause concern. Substances detected include most of the conventionals, metals (both total and dissolved) and total phenols.
Surface water sampling indicates that the fecal coliform levels remained well below BC’s guidelines to protect swimmers at recreational beaches and the standard used for shellfish harvesting. Read more 