[Excerpts from Sep. 26th Govt. of Manitoba News Release]
A new waste water treatment plan for the City of Winnipeg will improve water quality in the Red River and Lake Winnipeg, Conservation Minister Steve Ashton said today.

Directions and expectations for waste water collection and treatment and upgrades for Winnipeg’s three waste water treatment facilities are outlined in the plan. The province will issue a licence or licences under the Environment Act by the end of the year which will reflect the Clean Environment Commission’s (CEC) recommendations and which are consistent with the province’s Lake Winnipeg Action Plan. The Environment Act licence or licences will require the city to:

* Complete the city’s plan to control combined sewer overflow events even sooner than the 20 to 25 years recommended by the CEC.

* Meet waste water effluent standards at the three treatment facilities based on the Manitoba Water Quality Standards, Objectives and Guidelines, including limits for ammonia.

* Ensure nutrient removal at the South End Water Pollution Control Centre within three years to meet the initial targets identified in the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan. Full nutrient removal, including the North End and West End facilities, will be required within five years.

Other commission recommendations directed towards the province or jointly directed towards the city, provincial and federal governments will be completed through partnerships and planning, Ashton said.

Full Release

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