DAOD 4003-5, Wastewater and Stormwater System Effluent

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definitions
3. Abbreviations
4. Overview
5. Operating Principles
6. Planning
7. Implementation
8. Monitoring and Reporting
9. Release
10. Record Keeping
11. Oversight
12. Compliance and Consequences
13. Responsibilities
14. References

1. Introduction

Date of Issue: 2025-07-03

Application: This DAOD is a directive that applies to employees of the Department of National Defence (DND employees) and an order that applies to officers and non-commissioned members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF members).

Supersession: ED 4003-07, Management and Monitoring of Liquid Effluents

Approval Authority: Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) (ADM(IE))

Enquiries: Director Environment and Sustainable Management (DESM)

2. Definitions

acutely lethal (létalité aiguë)

In relation to effluent, means that the effluent at 100% concentration kills, during a 96-hour period, more than 50% of the rainbow trout subjected to it. (Section 1 of the Wastewater System Effluent Regulations)

deleterious substance (substance nocive)

Means:

(a) any substance that, if added to any water, would degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water, or

(b) any water that contains a substance in such quantity or concentration, or that has been so treated, processed or changed, by heat or other means, from a natural state that it would, if added to any other water, degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing includes

(c) any substance or class of substances prescribed pursuant to paragraph (2)(a),

(d) any water that contains any substance or class of substances in a quantity or concentration that is equal to or in excess of a quantity or concentration prescribed in respect of that substance or class of substances pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), and

(e) any water that has been subjected to a treatment, process or change prescribed pursuant to paragraph (2)(c). (Sub-section 34(1) of the Fisheries Act)

effluent discharge objective (objectifs environnementaux de rejet)

A concentration or load of a substance that should be achieved in the effluent discharge in order to adequately protect human health and the receiving environment. Effluent Discharge Objectives are established through site-specific Environmental Risk Assessments that includes initial characterization of the effluent and considers the characteristics of the receiving environment and mixing that occurs in an allocated mixing zone. (Outcome 1 of the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent, Canada Council of Minister of the Environment)

municipal biosolid (biosolides municipaux)

Organic-based products, which may be solid, semi-solid or liquid and which are produced from the treatment of municipal sludge. Municipal biosolids are municipal sludge which has been treated to meet to jurisdictional standards, requirements or guidelines including the reduction of pathogens and vector attraction. (Appendix 1 of the Guidance Document for the Beneficial Use of Municipal Biosolids, Municipal Sludge and Treated Septage, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment)

risk assessment (évaluation du risque)

The scientific examination of the nature and magnitude of risk to define the effects on both humans and other receptors of the exposure to contaminant(s). (Defence Terminology Bank record number 694793)

sludge (boues)

Semi-liquid, settled solids from treated sewage. (Defence Terminology Bank record number 46644)

3. Abbreviations

4. Overview

4.1 Effluent from wastewater and stormwater systems is:

1. an important consideration in water use and protection; and
2. a significant environmental aspect in the DND EMS.

4.2 The DND and the CAF own and operate wastewater and stormwater systems at Defence establishments and on military equipment. Whether effluent is managed onsite or conveyed to municipal sewer, it is ultimately discharged to the receiving environment. Both the Fisheries Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 prohibit deposition of deleterious substances. Under the Fisheries Act, the Wastewater System Effluent Regulations further control effluent from certain systems to ensure that it:

1. does not exceed specified concentrations of certain pollutants; and
2. is not acutely lethal.

4.3 The federal, provincial and territorial governments, through the CCME, set goals for water quality in the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life and Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Agricultural Water Uses) for the protection of aquatic life and agricultural water uses.

4.4 Effluent may contain various substances at concentrations that could impact environmental health such as organic waste, nutrients, pathogens, suspended solids and metals. Effective management of effluent including preventative and standardized practices for the planning, monitoring, reporting and oversight of effluent enables the prevention and mitigation of related environmental impacts.

4.5 The DND and the CAF must manage effluent in line with federal legislative requirements and, if appropriate, international, provincial, territorial and municipal legislative requirements, including the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines.

Purpose

4.6 The purpose of this DAOD is to provide direction on effluent from any wastewater or stormwater system relating to a Defense establishment or military equipment managed with public funds that may be discharging to the environment or to a municipal sewer (sanitary, storm or combined). Examples include:

1. wastewater systems such as pipes, lagoons, oily water separator treatment plants and systems; and
2. stormwater systems such as ditches, oil and grit interceptors, and ponds.

Note – In this DAOD, effluent includes overflow and temporary bypass from a system,
and effluent from military equipment.

4.7 Effluent discharged into off-site municipal sewer systems is typically managed via agreements, though select requirements apply as described in this DAOD.

Exclusion

4.8 Effluent discharged from DND and CAF septic systems are:

1. not included in the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent;
2. excluded from this DAOD; and
3. managed through ADM(IE) DAES standards.

Legal Implications

4.9 Many pieces of legislation define key federal requirements applicable to the management of effluent by the DND and the CAF, and third parties in Canada, including but not limited to:

• Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act
• Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
• Fisheries Act and Regulations
  • Wastewater System Effluent Regulations
• Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
• Fertilizers Act and Regulations
  • Fertilizers Regulations

Note – Relevant guidance documents are also available from ECCC and the CCME (see Section 14, References).

4.10 Provincial, territorial and municipal legislation:

1. such as laws, guidelines and by-laws are applied at the design, implementation and decommissioning stages of wastewater and stormwater systems; and
2. may also define requirements for effluent management along with international legislation when more stringent for military equipment outside Canada.

5. Operating Principles

5.1 The DND and the CAF must protect and conserve Canadian waters by adhering to legislative requirements as well as best management practices. Integrating the management of effluent with consideration for the receiving environment prevents and mitigates the impacts of effluent quality and quantity.

5.2 Among other key outcomes, integrated management helps to provide for the preservation of:

1. habitat for fish and aquatic species;
2. drinking water sources; and
3. recreational activities in water bodies.

6. Planning

6.1 Effluent must be conveyed to existing municipal systems whenever capacity and condition of the system allows. If it is not possible, construction of new infrastructure systems must be treated as an asset class and must follow the PAD process. Both existing and new systems must adhere to ADM(IE) DAES standards. Procurement of military equipment must:

1. follow the A-LM-007-100/AG-001, Supply Administration Manual process; and
2. adhere to ADM(Mat) technical authority requirements.

6.2 Effective planning:

1. enables due diligence and reduces potential impacts on the environment;
2. enables compliance with environmental requirements including regulatory reporting; and
3. integrates environmental considerations and related management measures into all stages of life‑cycle planning (procurement, design, implementation, decommissioning).

6.3 Key activities for:

1. infrastructure include an ERA to:
   1. assess impacts to the receiving environment;
   2. establish related management measures; and
   3. subsequently develop an environmental monitoring and reporting program; and
2. military equipment include:
   1. design specifications consistent with Canadian Standards Association; and
   2. international discharge requirements as outlined by the ADM(Mat) technical authority.

7. Implementation

Infrastructure

7.1 To meet EDOs, wastewater and stormwater systems, including work under contract must be operated in accordance with design specifications, and jurisdictional regulations and requirements (e.g. approvals and permits).

7.2 DND and CAF wastewater systems must have the necessary certifications.

7.3 System operators must:

1. complete the required training and hold current certifications applicable to the wastewater systems under their responsibility;
2. adhere to locally developed SOPs; and
3. promptly execute maintenance and corrective action plans.

7.4 Any waste generated from a wastewater or stormwater system including sediment, sludge, biosolids and treatment media (e.g. filter bed sand and granular activated carbon), must be tested in accordance with jurisdictional requirements and ADM(IE) policy prior to transfer from Defence establishments (e.g. for disposal, land application, or other). If biosolids are processed and sold as fertilizer or soil supplement, prior registration and sampling is required in accordance with regulations and standards administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Military Equipment

7.5 Military equipment must be operated in accordance with design specifications and federal and international requirements. Records must be maintained in accordance with regulatory discharge requirements.

7.6 CAF members responsible for operating treatment systems must possess the applicable military qualifications as specified by the L1 organization. System operators must adhere to locally developed SOPs and promptly execute maintenance and corrective action plans.

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8. Monitoring and Reporting

Monitoring

8.1 Effluent monitoring is essential to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and ongoing performance for environmental protection.

8.2 Monitoring for infrastructure generally includes:

1. reviewing all wastewater and stormwater policy and procedures to ensure:
   1. ongoing validity; and
   2. planned monitoring of influent and effluent quality and quantity in line with EDOs and jurisdictional requirements; and
2. auditing of ERA derived management measures as compared to related KPIs.

8.3 Laboratories and all required testing methodologies must be accredited according to the Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation Inc. (ISO/IEC 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories).

8.4 Monitoring for military equipment generally includes reviewing all wastewater and stormwater policy and procedures to ensure:

1. ongoing validity and regular review of logs;
2. compliance with jurisdictional requirements.

Reporting

8.5 The DND and the CAF are responsible for internal and external reporting on various aspects of the wastewater and stormwater systems portfolio that include, among others, effluent quality and quantity, release and performance reporting.

9. Release

9.1 Releases include planned overflows, temporary bypass, and any other discharge of effluent to the natural environment that does not meet discharge requirements.

9.2 Releases must be prevented through:

1. diligent implementation of the technical planning, designing, operation and maintenance; and
2. decommissioning of components for the wastewater and stormwater systems.

9.3 If a release occurs, applicable emergency response and reporting must be undertaken. The designated local responsible person must have procedures in place to meet response and reporting requirements.

10. Record Keeping

10.1 Record keeping:

1. is an important element of demonstrating compliance to environmental enforcement officers;
2. allows for analysis of data to determine trends, identify challenges, and define improvements;
3. aligns with the DND and CAF Data Management Strategy whereby data is managed as a shared asset; and
4. allows data to be leveraged in all aspects of DND and CAF programs by:
   1. enhancing capabilities and decision-making; and
   2. providing an information advantage during military operation.

10.2 At minimum, the following types of records regarding wastewater and stormwater effluent must be maintained and accessible within DND Data Management Strategy:

1. planning and design information and drawings;
2. as-built drawings and records of system modifications;
3. ERAs, as applicable;
4. operation and maintenance records;
5. maintenance and corrective action plans;
6. inspection reports;
7. SOPs;
8. emergency response plans and procedures;
9. monitoring results such as laboratory test results;
10. transfer records for waste generated from wastewater or stormwater systems and ballast sediment (whether disposed, land applied, or other);
11. notification and reporting records (e.g. overflow, temporary bypass, release, and recurring reporting); and
12. training records that demonstrate system operators meet required qualifications.

11. Oversight

11.1 Effective oversight must:

1. promptly identify non-compliance with environmental requirements;
2. ensure appropriate corrective steps are recommended; and
3. ensure mitigative measures to prevent similar occurrences are implemented.

11.2 At a minimum, oversight includes:

1. assessing compliance with environmental requirements and related KPIs;
2. reviewing wastewater and stormwater systems and effluent and, if appropriate, defining and implementing needed improvements to correct and prevent issues; and
3. providing risk-based status reporting for senior management.

12. Compliance and Consequences

Compliance

12.1 DND employees and CAF members must comply with this DAOD. Should clarification of the policies or instructions set out in this DAOD be required, DND employees and CAF members may seek direction through their channel of communication or chain of command, as appropriate. Managers and military supervisors have the primary responsibility for and means of ensuring the compliance of their DND employees and CAF members with this DAOD.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

12.2 DND employees and CAF members are accountable to their respective managers and military supervisors for any failure to comply with the direction set out in this DAOD. Non-compliance with this DAOD may result in administrative action, including the imposition of disciplinary measures, for a DND employee, and administrative or disciplinary action, or both, for a CAF member. Non-compliance may also result in the imposition of liability on the part of His Majesty in right of Canada, DND employees and CAF members.

Note – In respect to the compliance of DND employees, see the Treasury Board Framework for the Management of Compliance for additional information.

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13. Responsibilities

13.1 The following table identifies the responsibilities associated with this DAOD:

14. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies, and Policy DAOD

• Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act
• Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
• Canada Shipping Act, 2001
• Fisheries Act
• Fertilizers Act
• Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
• Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulations
• Ballast Water Regulations
• Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019
• Fertilizers Regulations
• Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations
• Wastewater System Effluent Regulations
• International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004
• Framework for the Management of Compliance, Treasury Board
• DAOD 1000-11, Policy Framework for Infrastructure and Environment Management
• DAOD 4003-0, Environmental Protection and Stewardship

Other References

• ISO/IEC 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
• A-LM-007-100/AG-001, Supply Administration Manual
• C-98-15W-002/MG, Operation and Maintenance Waste Collection Systems and Treatment Plants
• The Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Data Strategy
• T-4-132 – Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) standard for commercial biosolids imported or sold in Canada as fertilizers,Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent, Canada Council of Ministers of the Environment
• Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life, Canada Council of Ministers of the Environment
• Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Agricultural Water Uses, Canada Council of Ministers of the Environment
• Guidance Document for the Beneficial Use of Municipal Biosolids, Municipal Sludge and Treated Septage, Canada Council of Ministers of the Environment
• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) 73/78, International Maritime Organization
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations: reporting, Environment and Climate Change Canada Website
• Project Approval Directive (PAD), Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Intranet site
• ADM(IE) Management Manual, ADM(IE) SharePoint site
• ADM(IE) Policy Library, ADM(IE) Intranet site
• Environment and Sustainable Management, ADM(IE) DGESM intranet site

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