[Apr. 9 Manitoba CEC Announcement]
The Minister of Conservation has instructed the Commission to release its Interim Report on Public Hearings respecting the City of Winnipeg discharge of untreated sewage into the Red River on September 16, 2002. [An additional round of hearings takes place April 14-16.]

Along with a summary of the evidence presented to the Commission during the public hearings, the Report contains the following recommendations:

- Immediately begin to develop and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) for the City of Winnipeg's wastewater treatment facilities. The EMS is to be completed within two years, with major components implemented much sooner.

- Undertake risk and criticality assessments of the City's wastewater treatment facilities within one year.

- Begin immediately to prepare and implement a training plan for all wastewater treatment facility staff within one year.

- Prepare and implement standard operating and safe work procedures for the City's wastewater treatment facilities within six months.

- Give immediate priority to the preparation of emergency response plans for the City's wastewater treatment facilities. The plans are to be completed and approved by Manitoba Conservation within six months.

- Develop and implement a notification system to inform the public whenever there is release of raw sewage into the Red and Assiniboine rivers whether it is an accidental release, combined sewer overflow or sanitary sewer malfunction. The notification system is to be fully operational for the 2004 summer recreation season.

CEC Announcement
Full Interim Report (488K PDF)

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