The City of Toronto
pled guilty to one violation under the Ontario Water Resources
Act foroperating its sewage works in not accordance with its
Certificate of Approval. It was fined $150,000 plus the victim fine
surcharge.
The City operates the Ashbridges Bay wastewater treatment plant.
In December 2006, the plant discharged partially treated sewage
into Lake Ontario as a result of heavy rains and a bypass gate
remaining open. There were no impacts to drinking water as a result
of this incident. Since it was winter, there were no impacts to
local beaches.
Specifically, on December 1, 2006, the plant bypassed partially
treated sewage, due to heavy rainfall. This bypass was permitted by
its Certificate of Approval. Once the rainfall subsided, city staff
instructed the plant's computerized system to close the bypass
gate and believed the bypass gate had been closed. But the gate
remained open for another three and a half days before being
discovered, allowing
