Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations: reporting overview

The Effluent Regulatory Reporting Information System (ERRIS) allows regulatees to submit various reports required under the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER). It utilizes Environment Canada's Single Window system where WSER regulatees establish user accounts, manage their organization information and connect to ERRIS.

Requirements for monitoring, record-keeping, reporting and toxicity testing are specified in the Regulations. The following provides the deadlines for the various WSER reports and applications.

Identification Report

For new wastewater systems, an identification report must be submitted within 45 days after the wastewater system comes into operation.

Monitoring Reports

Upon completing the required fields in the Identification Report, owners/operators of wastewater systems will be categorized as being either quarterly or annual reporters.

Quarterly reporters

For those wastewater systems that are subject to quarterly reporting, the deadlines for each reporting period are as follows:

January 1 to March 31 - May 15
April 1 to June 30 - August 14
July 1 to September 30 - November 14
October 1 to December 31 - February 14

Annual reporters

For those wastewater systems that are subject to annual reporting, the deadline for the annual report is:

January 1 to December 31 - February 14

Combined Sewer Overflow Reports

Wastewater systems with at least one combined sewer overflow point are required to report for each month the number of days that effluent was deposited and the volume of effluent deposited via each overflow point. The deadline for the annual combined sewer overflow report is February 15 of the following calendar year. The combined sewer overflow reporting module is available in ERRIS under “Reports”.

Temporary Authorization to Deposit Un-Ionized Ammonia Application

If a wastewater system meets the effluent quality standards for CBOD and suspended solids but is acutely lethal because of un-ionized ammonia, the wastewater system owner or operator may apply for a temporary authorization to deposit un-ionized ammonia if the receiving environment has the capacity to assimilate it. To complete and submit an application for a temporary authorization to deposit un-ionized ammonia, select the “Applications” tab in ERRIS.

Temporary Bypass Authorization Application

An application for a temporary bypass authorization may be made if there is a need to bypass at least one of the treatment processes normally applied to wastewater in the system due to construction work to make changes to the system, maintenance of the system or the response to an anticipated event that is beyond the control of the owner or operator. Applications may be made as of January 1, 2015. To complete and submit a temporary bypass authorization application, select the "Applications" tab in ERRIS.

Reporting for the WSER

Online reporting - Effluent Regulatory Reporting Information System (ERRIS)
- Guidance on ERRIS (PDF version, 5,918 ko) - Step-by-step instructions on how to report under the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations using ERRIS.
- Monitoring Reports User Guide (PDF version, 3,597 ko)

User guides for combined sewer overflow reports and temporary bypass authorization applications are available upon request by email: eu-ww@ec.gc.ca

Related Resources

The following links provide guidance for reporting under the WSER:

Timeline for the WSER - a summary of important dates and deadlines for the WSER
Technical Guidance on Reporting under WSER - contains a comprehensive overview of the reporting requirements, including guidance for regulatees:

Disclaimer

Note that the above information is intended to provide guidance only, and is not a substitute for reading the WSER and does not in any way supersede or modify the Fisheries Act or the WSER. In the event of an inconsistency between this information and the Act and/or the WSER, the Act and the WSER prevail.

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