Fall 16

08 Fall

Upper Tier and Lower Tier municipality

Integration to Collaborative Address

Population Growth, Aging Infrastructure

and Climate Change

September 2014

Gonzalo Piñeros

Canadian municipalities are facing challenges related to population growth, aging

infrastructure, and climate change. Recent floods have caused sewer back-ups in

many municipalities across Canada, highlighting the need to treat, distribute and

upgrade water services to meet current and future water needs.

Many municipalities treat stormwater as a waste, rather than a resource; causing

stormwater infrastructure to be overlooked despite its impact on groundwater and

wastewater.

Upper Tier and Lower Tier municipalities must work collectively to develop an

integrated water, wastewater and stormwater management solution. In order to

achieve a seamless integration between Upper and Lower Tier municipalities,

municipal governance structure and frameworks need to be revised and updated to

incorporate policies that allow local governments to integrate their initiatives with

federal and provincial plans.

W Booth School of Engineering Practice

msep.mcmaster.ca

Gonzalo Piñeros

Canadian municipalities are facing challenges related to population growth, aging infrastructure, and

climate change, which add to the increase concern in communities for a higher quality of life. Public health, the

environment, economy, and social fabric of society have to be considered when evaluating the quality of life of

a given community. For this reason sustainability has become an increasingly important element to be

considered in the planning of urban areas. Sustainable infrastructures are being used in North America and

Europe to fulfill a number of urban and ecological policies to address not only climate change but also a rapid

increase in population growth.

One sector where sustainable urban planning and ecological policies are not emerging as fast is the

water management sector. Water scarcity, water quality concerns and an aging water system infrastructure is

forcing communities to seek alternatives to the traditional water management approach (EPRI, 2010), however

policies to foster a new sustainable water management approach are not in place in most communities (EPRI,

2010).

Municipalities across Canada are facing challenges with respect to meeting their water needs. These

challenges include flooding, directly associated with climate change, “economic uncertainty, regulations and

bureaucracy, aging and degrading water infrastructure, polluted water resources, and stakeholders” with limited

understanding of water issues (EPRI, 2010). Canada’s water infrastructure deficit, of $160 billion dollars, for

example is directly associated poor water quality, resulting in floods, sewer back-ups, boil-water warnings,

water use restrictions and closed beaches in Canadian communities (McBean, 2014).

The objective of this document is to create a methodology platform that highlights the governance

structure and policies needed for municipalities in Canada to overcome these challenges through the integration

of regional and local governments to address collaborative planning for growth, aging infrastructure and climate

change. This document includes practices for Canadian municipalities to integrate federal, provincial plans and

policies, such as source protection plans, with municipal initiatives, such as watershed management plans, in

order to develop a water sustainability plan to optimize stormwater infrastructure. This paper includes examples

of North American municipalities like Halifax (first municipality in Canada to regulate integrated water,

wastewater & stormwater utility) that have work together to facilitate the removal of governance structure and

policy barriers to stormwater optimization and the adoption of water sustainability planning, resulting on the

implementation of integrated municipal water systems management under key sustainability principles and best

practices. This document will be of value to municipalities, the water, wastewater and stormwater management

sector as well as government agencies involved in water regulations and policies to building communities with

capacity and resiliency in water, wastewater and stormwater management now and for the future.

The research process includes informal interviews as a primary mean of obtaining information from

different individuals working in the water service, stormwater service and wastewater service industry. Such

individuals are primary sources" who provided information not available from other sources.

For the purpose of this paper, water infrastructure refers to physical infrastructures as well as water-

related structures designed for the functional operation of the water system in a given society. The physical

structures are both manmade and natural. Manmade infrastructures include “reservoirs and retention systems,

piped collection and distribution systems, treatment systems” and natural infrastructures include “forested land,

stream buffers, flood plains and hydrologic networks, wetlands” (EPRI, 2010).Water governance will make

reference to the “laws and regulations, the agencies and institutions responsible for decision-making and the

policies and procedures used to make decisions and manage water resources” (Water Governance BC, 2014).

Municipality, as defined in The Ontario Municipal Act, refers to a “geographic area whose inhabitants are

incorporated” (Ontario Municipal Act, 2001).

Recent floods, sewer back-ups, boil-water warnings, and water use restrictions in many municipalities

across Canada are highlighting the need to treat, distribute and upgrade water services to meet current and

future water needs. There is “increased recognition that integrated water, wastewater and stormwater

management is the most plausible solutiong required to ensure cost-effective water services as well as

sustainable water resources” (McBean, 2014)to support public health, the economy and the environment today

and in the future. “Canadian municipalities have long-established water and wastewater asset management

plans” (McBean, 2014); however,many municipalities treat stormwater as waste, rather than a resource; causing

stormwater infrastructure and stromwater management to be overlooked despite its “impact on water and

wastewater infrastructure advancements”(McBean, 2014). Asset management approaches for stormwater

infrastructure must be integrated within the municipalities’ long-established water and wastewater asset

management plans.

New water management and infrastructure development models are emerging. In 2007 the Water

Environment Research Foundation (WERF) created the Baltimore Charter for Sustainable Water Systems “a

commitment to design new water systems that mimic and work with nature. These systems will both protect

public health and safety and will restore natural and human landscapes” (Nelson et al. 2007). Despite the new

water management models that are emerging, most communities have difficulty drafting new sustainable water

management policies to shift from the traditional water management model toward a more sustainable one

(EPRI, 2010).

Over three-quarters of Canadians have expressed concern about the water quality in their lakes, rivers,

and streams (RBC, 2013), and with good reason considering that Canada is at greater risk from climate change.

Frequent hail and thunderstorm predictions add to the growing concern (IPCC Report 2013). The Greater

Toronto Area has experienced four extreme events in the last 10 years, and in 2013 extreme rainfall and rising

floodwaters targeted communities in Calgary and Southern Alberta (Suzuki, 2013).

Municipalities across Canada have a traditional approach to address water-related issues. Issues such as

drinking water, stormwater, wastewater, urban watersheds, and related urban planning and disaster management

responses are managed in isolation as mutually exclusive systems “without considering their interrelationships

and, is most cases, interdependencies”(McBean, 2014). The development of water policies and regulations as

well as management practices is affected by the different “cultures” and approaches to “risk management” in all

the water-related areas, mentioned above (McBean, 2014). However, municipalities are starting to embrace a

more holistic and integrated approach to municipal water management. The increased recognition of integrated

water, wastewater and stormwater management has resulted in the adoption of Integrated Water Resources

Management (IWRM), Integrated Water Management (IWM), or “One-Water” approaches by different

municipalities (McBean, 2014). This more integrated approach allows water managers and regulators to address

the more complex water challenges and risks inherent in decision-making. Water challenges in today’s world

are more complex as a result of issues related to “population growth, aging infrastructure, climate change, the

complexity of water quality issues, the current economic challenges, and competing demands on resources”

(McBean, 2014). The growing recognition that effectiveness of decision-making in one of these management

areas is directly impacted by the decision-making made in the other areas allows water managers and regulators

to better “coordinate the development and management of water, land, and related resources in a sustainable and

equitable manner”(McBean, 2014).

In Canada the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have a two-tier municipality system.

Municipalities in Ontario may be Single-tier municipalities, such as the City of Toronto and the City of

Hamilton, or Two-tier municipalites. In the Two-tier municipalities category, an Upper-tier municipality is

formed by two or more Lower-tier municipalities. The Upper-tier municipality could be either a county, such

as Wellington, or a regional municipality, such as Halton.

According to the Ontario Municipal Act, municipal responsibilities in the province are divided between

the Upper-tier municipality and Lower-tier municipality for the Two-tier system. Single-tier municipalities on

the other hand, assume all municipal responsibilities set out under the Municipal Act and other Provincial

legislation. The Act also states that “Municipalities are created by the Province of Ontario to be responsible and

accountable governments with respect to matters within their jurisdiction, and each municipality is given

powers and duties under the act and many other acts for the purpose of providing good government with respect

to those matters” (Ontario Municipal Act, 2001).

In a two-tier municipality, the Upper-tier municipality delivers some public services. Upper-tier

municipalities often coordinate area-wide service delivery to all Lower-tier municipalities. Public services are

assigned to the Upper-tier or Lower-tier municipality by legislation. Both municipalities may provide these

services exclusively or non-exclusively within their geographical boundaries. Waste management is a shared

public service between both municipalities; the Lower-tier municipality is in charge of waste collection, while

the Upper-tier municipality is in charge of waste disposal (McBean, 2014). In the case of Water, Upper-tier

municipalities are usually responsible for Water and wastewater management, while the Lower-tier

municipalities are responsible for stormwater management (McBean, 2014). Table 1.1 shows that the Upper-tier

municipalities are responsible exclusively for water production, treatment and storage; and non-exclusively for

the collection of stormwater and other drainage from land (geographic region shown in Figure 1.1).

Table 1.1 Public Utilities in a two-tier municipality (Ontario Municipal Act, 2001).

Sphere of

Jurisdiction

Part of Sphere Assigned Upper-tier Municipality (ies) to

which Part of Sphere assigned

Exclusive or Non-

Exclusive

Assignments

Public utilities Sewage treatment All counties, Niagara, Waterloo,

York

Non-exclusive

Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford,

Peel

Exclusive

Collection of sanitary sewage All counties, Niagara, Waterloo,

York

Non-exclusive

Durham, Halton, Muskoka, Oxford,

Peel

Exclusive

Collection of storm water and

other drainage from land

All upper-tier municipalities Non-exclusive

Water production, treatment and

storage

All upper-tier municipalities except

counties

Exclusive

Water distribution Niagara, Waterloo, York Non-exclusive

Oxford, Durham, Halton, Muskoka,

Peel

Exclusive

Figure 1.1 Upper-Tier, Single-Tier, Regional Municipalities in Ontario

Water, wastewater and stormwater cannot be managed in isolation as mutually exclusive systems; these

systems are both interrelated and interdependent. Stormwater management, for example, does not only impact

the Lower-tier municipality but it also impacts its Upper-tier counterpart. The City of Mississauga is responsible

for stormwater, and its Upper-tier municipality, the Regional of Peel is responsible for drinking water and

sanitary services. Both municipalities have been affected by stormwater, causing floods in the Lower-tier and

sewer back-ups for its Upper-tier (McBean, 2014).

Upper-tier and Lower-tier municipalities both have their respective municipal councils. The Lower-tier

municipality council is elected by direct election either by wards or at large (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and

Housing, 2011). The Upper-tier council is usually indirect, with Lower-tier councilors sitting at both councils,

although some Upper-tier municipalities may hold elections to choose their regional councilors. In Waterloo

Region, the Upper-tier council consists of elected regional councilors and the mayors of the region’s Lower-tier

municipalities (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2011).

British Columbia’s municipal government structure is similar to that of Ontario. However in a Two-tier

municipality the Upper-tier is referred to as a regional district. Local government in British Columbia may refer

to the council of a municipality, “Lower-tier”, or the board of a regional district, “Upper-tier” (British Columbia

Local Government Act, 1996).

Integrated resource management is the coordinated development and management of resources such as

water, land, and other related resources to maximize economic and social welfare without compromising the

sustainability of vital ecosystems (EPRI, 2010). The current water management process views water provision

and wastewater management as two exclusive processes. The water provision process extracts water and treats

it to potable standards and delivers it to consumers, to be used and later disposed as wastewater. Wastewater is

collected and taken to a water treatment plant facility to remove pollutants. Stormwater is mainly managed for

flood control through rapid transportation and discharge (EPRI, 2010). Stormwater needs to be highlighted as a

resource rather than a waste to mitigate societal cost such as infrastructure, pumping, treatment and

environmental impacts (EPRI, 2010). Even the Ontario Municipal Act defines “sewage” as both stormwater and

other drainage from land and as waste (Ontario Municipal Act, 2001). Unlike the current one-pass use of water,

the recommended closed loop water management system emphasizes in resource recovery from wastewater.

Resources such as reclaimed water, nutrients, carbon, metals, and biosolids are recovered for beneficial uses

such as drinkable water offsets (irrigation), fertilizers, and generating power (EPRI, 2010). In the closed-loop

water management system stormwater is harvested for water supply, irrigation, and infiltration and not

collected, transported and discharged. Concepts of efficiency, recovery and reuse are key to potentially reducing

full life-cycle costs (EPRI, 2010).

Table 1.2 Difference between current and new approach (Table 2.1, EPRI, 2010).

Topic Current Practice

New Paradigm

Water Use

Single use—water is used only once

and then disposed to water treatment

plant.

Multiple use – Use household

graywater for irrigation.

Water Quality (supplied) Treat all supply-side water to potable

standards.

Apply “right water for right use”—

Treat water to a level of water quality

based on the intended use. Potable

water is not needed for irrigation

purposes or to flush toilets.

Wastewater

After a single use, “waste” water is

treated and returned to the

environment.

“Close the Loop” – recover valuable

resources from “waste” water

(reclaimed water, nutrients, carbon,

metals and biosolids) for beneficial

uses such as potable water offsets,

fertilizers, and generating power.

Stormwater

“Convey stormwater offsite as quickly

as possible with no regard for

maintaining hydrological integrity of

ecosystem” (EPRI, 2010).

“Harvest stormwater for water supply,

irrigation, and/or infiltration benefits”

(EPRI, 2010).

Increase System Capacity

“Add capacity to water and wastewater

facilities and collection/distribution

systems as water demand increases.”

“Implement cost-effective demand

side and green infrastructure before

increasing gray infrastructure.”

Type of Water Infrastructure

“Primarily use gray infrastructure—

engineered and constructed materials

(pipes and treatment facilities and

pumps).”

“Integrate the natural capacities of soil

and vegetation to capture, infiltrate

and treat water (green infrastructure)

with gray infrastructure.”

Centralized Infrastructure Centralized large water treatment and Multiple decentralized small water

distribution systems treatment and distribution systems

combining local needs and the triple

bottom line.

Complex Design

“Administrative programs tend to

favor more established, less complex,

standard infrastructure designs and

technologies” (EPRI, 2010).

Today’s complex water problems

required new infrastructure design

technologies and strategies.

Infrastructure Integration

Water, stormwater and wastewater are

typically managed as exclusive

systems

“Water is water”—integrate

infrastructure and management of all

types of water regionally.

Public Involvement

“Stakeholders are informed when

approval of pre- chosen solutions is

required” (EPRI, 2010).

“Stakeholders are engaged in the

decision-making system from the

beginning” (EPRI, 2010).

Monitoring and Maintenance

“Water and wastewater facilities use

computerized Supervisory Control and

Data Acquisition (SCADA) to monitor

and control processes” (EPRI, 2010).

“Moves smart systems out to end users

to provide real-time feedback

regarding energy use and water use

rates to build understanding, modify

behavior for higher efficiencies, and

notify for maintenance” (EPRI, 2010).

Cost-benefit Analyses

“Use estimates of capital and recurring

costs as the primary quantitative factor

for cost-benefit analyses” (EPRI,

2010).

“Develop an understanding of the full

cost and benefits of infrastructure,

including externalities” (EPRI, 2010).

The Water Opportunities Act, 2010 (Ontario) requires certain municipalities to prepare, approve and

submit to the Minister of the Environment municipal water sustainability plans for municipal water services,

municipal wastewater services and municipal storm water services under their jurisdiction (Water Opportunities

Act, 2010). The Act also states that two or more regulated entities may prepare a joint plan or a joint part of

their plans, which creates an opportunity for Upper-tier and Lower-tier municipalities to develop a plan together

(Water Opportunities Act, 2010).

Upper-tier municipalities in Ontario are implementing water conservation initiatives. The Region of

Waterloo and York Region are promoting rainwater harvesting to residential and commercial residents

(McBean, 2014). The Region of Peel has partnered with Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), a “community-

based environmental organization, dedicated to protecting, restoring and managing the natural resources of the

Credit River Watershed” (CVC, 2014), to reduce water consumption for “landscaping regional roads by

incorporating lot and conveyance controls to enhance storage and reduce watering in roadway

medians”(McBean, 2014).

In British Columbia the Regional District of Metro Vancouver is a “political body and corporate entity

operating under provincial legislation as a ‘regional district’ and ‘greater boards’ that delivers regional services,

planning and political leadership on behalf of 24 local authorities” (DWMP, 2011). It comprises 22

Municipalities, one Electoral Area and one treaty First Nation (MV, 2014). The Regional District of Metro

Vancouver covers the City of Abbotsford, Village of Anmore, Village of Belcarra, Bowen Island Municipality,

City of Burnaby, City of Coquitlam, Corporation of Delta, City of Langley, Electoral Area A, Township of

Langley, Village of Lions Bay, District of Maple Ridge, City of New Westminster, City of North Vancouver,

District of North Vancouver, City of Pitt Meadows, City of Port Coquitlam, City of Port Moody, City of

Richmond, City of Surrey, Tsawwassen, City of Vancouver, District of West Vancouver and the City of White

Rock (MV, 2014).

The Regional District of Metro Vancouver is made up of four separate corporate entities, each with a

different set of members: the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Greater Vancouver Sewerage

and Drainage District (GVS&DD), the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) and the Metro Vancouver

Housing Corporation (MVHC)(MV, 2014). Each of these four corporate entities is governed by a separate

board of directors.(MV, 2014).The Directors are members of the Lower Municipal or First Nation councils and

have been appointed to one the boards of the Regional District of Metro Vancouver by their respective councils

(MV, 2014).

The Regional District of Metro Vancouver interacts with its municipalities via a large number of

monthly meetings for each committee (Source 1). . During these monthly meetings the boards (Upper-tier

councils in Ontario) develop region-wide policies that are voted on before acceptance and adoption by all

municipalities (Source 2). Some of these policies may require a hundred percent consent and others more

consensus (Source 2). a region-wide policy comes into effect, the “Lower Municipalities must abide by

it”(Source 1)and create a local policy in accordance with the region-wide policy and which must be approved

by Metro Vancouver (Source 1).This process may be seen as a top town approach from a hierarchal structure

perspective; however it actually works more as a cross-functional team in a horizontal organizational structure

because all even though all municipalities have to “abide” by these region-wide policies, such policies are voted

by the (lower-tier) municipalities themselves through their representatives at the Metro Vancouver (upper-tier)

council(Source 2). Some examples of policies that have been developed by the Metro Vancouver Boards

include the “Regional Growth Strategy, and the Integrated Liquid Waste and Resource Management Plan

(ILWRMP)” (Source 1).And some examples of local policies created by municipalities that were developed as a

result of the region-wide policy are the Official Community Plans (OCP), and Integrated Stormwater

Management Plans (ISMPs)(Source 2). For example, Metro Vancouver developed the Integrated Liquid Waste

and Resource Management Plan (ILWRMP), with municipalities weighing in to layout the plan and

requirements (Source 2). Metro Vancouver was responsible to obtain provincial approvals while local

governments developed Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs) in accordance with Metro

Vancouver's Integrated Liquid Waste Resource Management Plan (ILWRMP) requirements and to also meet

provincial requirements (Source 2).

(Lower-tier) municipalities work collaboratively both officially and unofficially in a number of inter-

jurisdictional capacities. For example the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver are

formally developing a joint Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs) not only provincial and

ILWRMP requirements but mainly to manage their shared watersheds (Source 1), “Mackay Creek and

Mosquito Creek, including the major tributaries: Mission Creek, Thain Creek, and Wagg Creek” (CNV, 2014).

The City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver also participate informally in working groups

with the District of West Vancouver, and the North Shore Emergency Management Office to coordinate action

on a specific issue that affects all of them: climate change on the North Shore (Source 1). Another informal

inter-jurisdictional collaboration is the Burrard Inlet Flood Sea Level Rise Collaborative; which includes several

(Lower-tier) municipalities around Burrard Inlet and also the Simon Fraser University Adaptation to Climate

Change Team) (Source 1).

In the Regional District of Metro Vancouver, the water, wastewater and stormwater assets are

distributed between Metro Vancouver (Upper-tier) and local municipalities (Lower-tier) as follows: For water

assets, the District of Metro Vancouver is responsible for treating and water quality issues as well as its supply

and delivery to each municipality; and each municipality is responsible for distributing water to each costumer

(Source 1). In other words Metro Vancouver is responsible for some trunk mains, “large diameter mains that

transfer water from one area to another” (BW, 2014), but not for water distribution or collection systems

(Source 2). For example, The City of Surrey buys water from Metro Vancouver but is responsible for the

Surrey’s own distribution system, metering etc. (Source 2). The District of Metro Vancouver has trunk mains

under the Fraser River that transport water to different reservoirs in Surrey (Source 2). Some municipalities can

also supplement their water supply with their own resources; the Township of Langley augments their water

supply with groundwater to reduce water rates (Source 2).

For wastewater, the District of Metro Vancouver is responsible for the management of all wastewater

treatment plants as well as the trunk mains that connect each (Lower-tier) municipality to the wastewater

treatment plants (Source 1). Each municipality is responsible for managing smaller sanitary sewers systems that

deliver sewage from each customer to the Metro Vancouver trunk mains to be delivered to the waste water

treatment plants(Source 1). The City of Surrey collects and pumps wastewater to the Metro Vancouver trunk

mains to have it delivered to Metro Vancouver’s wastewater treatment plants. The District of Metro Vancouver

has three trunk mains in the City of Surrey that are used to collect “sewage from multiple local

governments”(Source 2). All municipalities contribute bear the financial cost for the operation and maintenance

of the wastewater treatment plants (Source 2).

For stormwater each (Lower-tier) municipality is responsible for most stormwater planning and

stormwater infrastructure (Source 1).“Metro Vancouver does set region-wide policy through the Liquid Waste

Management Plan, and helps to coordinate management and research through the Stormwater Interagency

Liaison Group (SILG)”(Source 1). However, Metro Vancouver has no jurisdiction over any municipal

wastewater system “except one where Burnaby/Vancouver and Coquitlam entered an agreement for Metro

Vancouver to manage one watershed for them” (Source 2).

In terms of Integrated Water Management Systems, British Columbia’s municipalities, like the City of

North Vancouver, have no official combined system (Source 1). The City of North Vancouver however, looks

at cross-functional infrastructure opportunities when upgrading one water system to see whether the opportunity

to upgrade another infrastructure at the same time is possible (Source1). North Vancouver also uses the

development of its Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) to do long term planning for both our

stormwater and wastewater systems, taking into account how climate change will affect both systems. The City

also uses ISMP to develop compatible computer models of stormwater and wastewater, using PCSWMM:

software for stormwater management, wastewater and watershed modeling (Source 1).

Water governance in British Columbia for water, wastewater and stormwater assets operate under the

Drinking Water Protection Act, Drinking Water Protection Regulation, and the Water Act, however; they are

not governed by the public utility act (Source 1). There are other laws and regulations that affect water

governance in the province (See Figure 1.2). The current Water Act will be repealed when Bill 18, the new

Water Sustainability Act (introduced on March 11, 2014) comes into force in 2015 (Water Sustainability Act,

2014). The Water Sustainability Act responds to “current and future pressures on water, including a growing

population, a changing climate and expanding resource development” (Water for BC, 2014) through sustainable

water management.

Figure 1.2Legislation Influencing Water in B.C. (Water Law Framework, 2014)

The government structure for water, wastewater and stormwater is divided between Metro Vancouver

and its municipalities. Metro Vancouver governs water assets and wastewater assets under the Greater

Vancouver Water District (GVWD) board and the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District

(GVS&DD) board respectively. Stormwater assets, on the other hand, are governed by local municipal

governments (Source 1). Each local City Council has authority over all three assets (Source 2) and it governs

stormwater as well as smaller local water and wastewater assets (Source 1). The Integrated Liquid Waste and

Resource Management Plan (ILWRMP) under the Performance Measures and Adaptive Management section

requires municipalities to report back to Metro Vancouver stormwater related metrics (Source 1). Water pricing,

Metro Vancouver determines water and wastewater rates through the GVWDGVS&DD boards to sell to its

municipalities. However, the rate structure for bulk water use will change when the GVWD board introduces a

new region wide policy in 2015 in accordance with the new Water Sustainability Act (Source 1). Stormwater

management, on the other hand, depends on the municipality. In the City of North Vancouver stormwater is

funded through the general municipal expenditures, which means that there are no distinct stormwater rates

(Source 1).The City of Surrey determines water rates for residents and businesses from the costs to buy water

from Metro Vancouver plus operating costs to manage the water distribution system and a ten-year capital plan

to update or replace water infrastructure (Source 2). Wastewater rates are determined in a similar manner, from

the costs to send wastewater to Metro Vancouver sewage treatment plant plus operating costs to manage the

wastewater collection system and a ten-year capital plan to update or replace wastewater infrastructure(Source

2). Stormwater in Surrey, unlike in North Vancouver, has distinct stormwater rates for both residents and

businesses, derived from a ten-year capital plan to “update or replace stormwater infrastructure including dykes,

shoreline protection, ravine stability etc. and operating costs to manage the stormwater system”(Source 2). The

City of Surrey has over “1500km of creeks and over 100 km of dyke structures in addition to pump stations and

pipe systems” (Source 2). When it comes to calculating water loss, the City of Surrey estimates that it loses

15,000 liters/day of drinking water from their system (Source 2). Both Surrey and Metro Vancouver meter the

amount of water that Metro Vancouver sells to the City (Source 2). Surrey has been implementing water meters;

however, not all customers are metered so the numbers of water loss in liters/day are an estimate. “Homes and

businesses not on meters were assumed to use the per capita average of those on meters” (Source 2).

Cooperation between the Region (Upper-tier) and its municipalities (Lower-tier) in the Metro

Vancouver Region takes place at the different regional Boards, which include representation from all or most

member municipalities, such as the City of North Vancouver (Source 1). Metro Vancouver has two water

related boards, the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS&DD) and the Greater Vancouver

Water District (GVWD) and its municipalities (Lower-tier) are active on these boards to help shape Metro

Vancouver’s water policy and initiatives (Source 1).

Cooperation between both Region and municipalities also take place at different issue specific working

groups, such as the Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (SILG) (Source 1). SILG was created in 2002 by

Metro Vancouver, its member municipalities, and provincial and federal environmental agencies under Metro

Vancouver’s provincially approved Liquid Waste Management Plan (MVSMP, 2010); SILG was created due to

the increasing concern on changes in stormwater runoff quantity and quality and their impact on salmon and

trout streams (MVSMP, 2010). On a policy perspective under the federal Fisheries Act, Metro Vancouver and

its municipalities are not allowed to discharge stormwater and runoff that would have negative impact on the

fish and their habitat (MVSMP, 2010). SILG sets a region-wide policy to coordinate management and research

and also shares best practices across the region (Source 1). Metro Vancouver’s municipalities are active

members of these groups.

Inter-jurisdictional cooperation also takes place between municipalities (Lower-tier) through Metro

Vancouver (Upper-tier) for the purchase and design decisions for shared water infrastructure, such as

wastewater treatment plants through the GVS&DD (Source1).

Metro Vancouver’s three main roles are political forum, policy development and service delivery to its

municipalities (DWMP, 2011), as shown in Figure 1.3. With the development of integrated systems and the

facilitation of local governments collaboration under the Metro Vancouver umbrella; Metro Vancouver’s

metrics, targets and key deliverables are harmonized across the region (DWMP, 2011).

Figure 1.3 Metro Vancouver Regional Roles (DWMP, 2011)

In Ontario, Upper-tier and Lower-tier municipalities interact in a similar manner to that of The Regional

District of Metro Vancouver and its 21 municipalities. The Region of Waterloo (Upper-tier) integrates the cities

of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Townships of North Dumfries, Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley (Source

3). The Regional council of the Region of Waterloo is composed of the “Regional Chair, eight directly elected

Regional Councillors, and the mayors of the seven local municipalities” (Region of Waterloo, 2014).The Peel

Regional Council is formed different from that of the City of Waterloo. It consists of 25 members, the Regional

Chair, the Mayors of the three Lower-tier municipalities (Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga), the 11 City of

Mississauga Council members, 6 City of Brampton Council members and the 4 Town of Caledon Regional

Council members (Region of Peel, 2014).

There is a significant interaction as well as information sharing between the Upper-tier municipality and

Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario. In the Region of the Region of Waterloo Upper and Lower tier

municipalities coordinate infrastructure, programmes and public communications (Source 3). Upper-tier and

Lower-tier municipalities each maintain their own database of information that they share on a case-by-case

basis (Source 3). For water management and services there meetings are held at various times to maintain

communications such as “annual meetings to review design standards and quarterly meetings to review best

management practices”(Source 3) both attended by the Region of Waterloo and lower-tier representatives as

well as neighbouring jurisdiction(Source 3). There are also quarterly operations coordination meetings between

the Region of Waterloo and Lower-tier municipalities (Source 3). The Region of Waterloo council develops

policies with consultation of its Lower-tier municipalities (Source 3); a very inclusive process considering that

the mayors of each municipality sit in the council as well. In the Region of Peel, Upper and Lower-tier

municipalities work collaboratively to ensure projects are coordinated, for example in the case of “coordinating

roadway re-surfacing following water main repair”(Source 5). In Peel, Regional and City issues are coordinated

as best as possible to allow both Upper and Lower tier representatives to be involved in educational campaigns

and facility planning (Source 5).

In Ontario the responsibility for water, wastewater and stormwater assets in municipalities, is similar to

that of British Columbia. In The Region of Peel, the region is responsible for water and wastewater, and Lower-

tier municipalities are responsible for stormwater (Source 5). “Most Lower-tier municipalities work

independently on storm drainage projects within their jurisdiction; however inter-municipal Staff work together

on cross-boundary projects when necessary” (Source 5). Similarly, in the Region of Waterloo (Upper-tier) is

responsible for drinking water source, water treatment, water storage and water pumping as well as wastewater

treatment, discharge and bio-solids(Source 3). And the Lower-tier municipalities like the City of Waterloo are

responsible for water distribution and billing as well as exclusively responsible for stormwater management

(Source 3).The Upper-tier and Lower-tier collaborative interact to provide better water services. For example

the Region of Waterloo owns the wastewater treatment plant and the transmission water-mains and the each

Lower-tier municipality owns their sanitary collection system which includes trunk sewers and pumping

stations). However for water-mains the Lower-tier municipality undertakes the repair work (Source 4). In the

City of Waterloo the water distribution system, wastewater collection system, and stormwater management

system are all managed under the Water Services Division at the City of Waterloo (Source 4). The Water

Services Division at the City of Waterloo estimates the “non-revenue water loss including authorized and

unauthorized water use (based on the 2013 total water use) to be approximately 4383955 l/day” (Source 4);

about 13% of the total water use by the City. “Authorized non-metered water, flushing activities, fire

department use, was acknowledged to determine an actual water loss based on American Water Works

Association (AWWA) Water Audit practices and associated software (Source 4). The City of Waterloo funds

water, wastewater and stormwater based on user rates (Source 4). For water and wastewater the majority of

customer charges are based on meter readings; however, for stormwater the charge is a “tiered flat rate based on

property type and size as a measure of impervious surface” making it not financially sustainable (Source 4), the

City plans to strengthen wastewater significantly over the next three years (Source 4).The stormwater program

in the City of Mississauga is generally funded through taxes and development charges (Source 5). “Water and

wastewater have more financial stability, sustainability and predictability due to the long-standing practice of

rate predictions” (Source 4). The City of Waterloo has initiated an asset management plan for all three assets

(Source 4).

The relation between water, wastewater and stormwater on groundwater supply is becoming clearer for

Canadian municipalities as “conventional stormwater practices and increased water takings can impact

recharge” (McBean, 2014) such as dry weather which causes low stream flows, reducing the “assimilative

capacity of wastewater treatment plants and restrict water-taking permits”(McBean, 2014). However not all

municipalities use groundwater as their water supply, and it is important to highlight that risks for each

municipality can be derived from its water supply source, aged infrastructure and/or growth pressure(McBean,

2014). In Ontario, for example, Orangeville has a groundwater supply where infiltrating stormwater poses

potential risk. Mississauga’s, a lake-based water supply, potential risks are mainly due to growth pressures and

aged infrastructure. Both Mississauga and Toronto currently have less than three percent left developable land,

which is “mostly infill with very little green field development resulting in low development charges and only

tax-based income supply”(McBean, 2014). Milton, Vaughan and Brampton are fast growing municipalities with

potential to retrofit. Brampton’s challenge is to implement proper stormwater management through monitoring

across communities to protect fisheries and build resiliency. “Monitoring shows that wet weather stream flows

are three times higher than predevelopment flows resulting in increased erosion despite of ponds”(McBean,

2014).

Municipalities are developing strategic plans for their water, wastewater and stormwater assets. The city

of Waterloo provides a “ten-year rate model, identifying capital and operating forecasts and associated

rates”(Source 4); and currently has master plans developed for sanitary and stormwater and a water distribution

master plan scheduled for 2015/2016(Source 4). The City has initiated an asset management plan also (Source

4). Region of Waterloo (Upper-tier) oversees water conservation programs and has implemented region-wide

measures for water conservation; as a result there has been a steady decline in water demand in the past decade,

attributed to conservation programs for the most part (Source 4). The City of Waterloo also provides an

incentive program for stormwater management practices on private properties (Source 4). The City of

Mississauga, Peel Region, is using lot-level low impact development approaches hoping to reduce the impact of

stormwater runoff in the future (Source 5).

In British Columbia Metro Vancouver’s (Upper-tier) Regional Growth Strategy to 2040 provides a

framework for land use related to water and wastewater(Source 1).Metro Vancouver’s strategy encourages

municipalities to foster a compact urban area that can operate more efficiently and requiring less infrastructure,

and preserving lands that protect drinking water and stormwater assets(Source 1).The City of North

Vancouver’s Official Community Plan and Integrated Stormwater Management Plans, although still in the

developing stages, lays out similar objectives and land use plans to make the most of their infrastructure(Source

1).North Vancouver also has asset management plans for all infrastructure projects; and their engineering

department is developing a “strategic plan that will apply to all engineering works, however this is in the early

stages of development”(Source 1).Surrey on the other hand has looked at the renewal requirements for their

water, wastewater and stormwater assets and has conducted some joint asset management studies(Source 2).

The City Surrey uses the same software program to manage its operations and has linked plans through

Geographic Information System (GIS) to ensure that renewals are conducted where possible together, including

“linking to road/pavement plans”(Source 2). The situation in coastal British Columbia adds more risks to that of

mainland Ontario. Surrey’s ten-year plans are currently focused on funding sources and long-term plans are

focused on renewals (Source 2). Surrey is looking at how to incorporate Sea Level Rise (SLR) predictions in

80-year and 180-year horizons to water management (Source 2). Sea Level Rise is predicted at 1 metre by 2100

and 2metres by 2200, (Source 2). In addition to this land subsidence is predicted at about 2mm/year and storm

surges and waves have to also be added to the equation (Source 2). This means changes in groundwater and

large costal protection needs will be 2m to 4 m higher than present by 2100, which is taking into account when

designing or upgrading services in low-lying areas (Source 2).

Water Conservation also plays a key role in water management practices. Metro Vancouver has several

water conservation programs at both the municipal (Lower-tier) and regional district levels (Upper-tier)(Source

1). Conservation programs are mostly related to conserving drinking water (lawn watering regulations), but they

may also benefit wastewater systems (low flow toilet rebates)(Source 1).“Metro Vancouver runs tours of

protected water source watersheds to better understand conservation issues”(Source 1). The City of Surrey has

large conservation programs for water and stormwater (Source 2). The City has been running the “Project Save

H2O for 6 years now and the Salmon Habitat Restoration Project for almost 20”(Source 2). Both programs

educate the public on water conservation and healthy streams, fisheries enhancements and water quality (Source

2). Surrey has also developed spin off programs for storm drain marking, industries, stream stewardship; which

has resulted in a very active community involvement with “residents marking storm drains, as well as testing

water quality” (Source 2). We do joint projects with schools and stream keeper groups to assist with education

and also neighbour programs (stream planting, invasive removals) (Source 2). The City of Surrey has a

Sustainability Charter, A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, various Neighbourhood Concept Plans, Water

Plans, and Integrated Stormwater Management Plans for all sub-watersheds, Lowlands strategy as well as

various policies and Official Community plan to ensure planning for current and future (even changing future)

needs in a sustainable way(Source 2). City “Council is supportive of adopting new ideas to ensure

sustainability” in Surrey (Source 2). The City also has “plans for each utility related to seismic vulnerability and

making systems more resilient”(Source 2); and it is looking at “heat recovery from sanitary sewers to input into

the City centre district energy network”(Source 2). Capital and planning studies are funded through each utility

as part of 10-year plan portion and the City provides general revenue for the City-wide plans to be developed

(Source 2).

It is crucial that Upper Tier and Lower Tier municipalities or Regional Districts and Local municipalities work

collectively to develop an integrated water, wastewater and stormwater management solution. Canadian

municipalities where municipal governance structure and frameworks present a barrier to achieve a seamless

integration between Upper and Lower Tier municipalities, need to be revised and updated to incorporate

policies that allow local governments to integrate their initiatives with federal and provincial plans like

municipalities in Ontario and British Columbia.

Water (and other resources—nutrients, carbon, energy) can be more sustainably managed if

municipalities consider the system holistically, rather than exclisuve systems as specialized elements (water

supply versus stormwater versus wastewater versus aquatic ecosystems) with limited interrelationship.

Highlighting Stormwater as a resource rather than a waste.

The first step for municipalities to implement an integrated management of municipal water systems is to fully

understand the different (and region specific) risks being managed across the systems and how such risks

“interrelate to prioritize investments or actions and avoid unintended consequences”(McBean, 2014). Canada’s

Economic Action Plan provides $ 200 million over five years to establish a National Disaster Mitigation

Program; which supports investments in structure mitigation measures (McBean, 2014). With an integrated

management of municipal water systems will have a stronger voice and provide accountability and

transparency; which is critical for both provincial and federal funding in a competitive environment for

infrastructure funding by all sectors, not only the water sector (McBean, 2014).

Recommendations for municipalities working collectively to develop an integrated water, wastewater

and stormwater management solution include: The first step is to broad the definition of water infrastructure to

embrace a broader, more holistic definition that includes both traditional manmade water and wastewater

infrastructure, and natural watershed systems (EPRI, 2010).Water infrastructure needs to be connected to other

different aspects and services in the community, including transportation, energy and other public services since

it affects our water supplies, public health, fishing and shell-fishing, recreation, aesthetics, and ecological

resources (EPRI, 2010). Addressing water sustainability holistically will make the interrelationships between

water management, energy, agriculture, land use and associated ecologies more recognizable (EPRI, 2010).

Municipalities must identifyfederal fundingallocated specifically for sustainable, green water

management practicesto set up rebates for water efficiency and water reuse systems, green stormwater

infrastructure, decentralized wastewater systems, and long-term monitoring and adaptive management programs

(EPRI, 2010). Lower-tier governments can use this funding not only for flow creek and sewer flow monitoring,

water quality, ecosystem health but also for local utilities, affordable housing agencies, and local and state

economic development agencies through green initiatives that retrofit existing homes and treatment facilities,

and build demonstration projects; creatinglocal green industries and jobs (EPRI, 2010).

Municipalities must revise their utility “rate approval criteria and procedures to allow for rate structures

that provide adequate revenue streams” (EPRI, 2010). Cureently the primary revenue source for water service in

municipalities is customer billing, usually is based on water usage; although water rates often go down for

larger users, providing little incentive to encourage water conservation (EPRI, 2010). In some municipalities

utility regulators in may set rate structures that prohibit conservation pricing (EPRI, 2010). It is crucial for

municipalities to identify such structures and review them and update them to foster water conservation using

water metering as a conservation tool. Municipalities must implement water metering with a progressive rate

structure and the ability for consumers to easily track their water use.

Municipalities must recognize the benefits of water/wastewater reuse and other demand management

approachesin their water management assets (EPRI, 2010). Upper-tier and Lower-tier municipalities must

jointly advocate for policy and rule changes at a provincial and federal level to identify and eliminate legal

barriers to maximizing use of reclaimed water (wastewater) and avoid using groundwater where reclaimed

water is available and suitable (EPRI, 2010). Additionally municipalities must implement a performance-based

water context, efficiently designing reclamation systems, where current regulations allow, treating water only to

the quality standard needed for the specific reuse application (EPRI, 2010). For example, irrigation of land

typically does not require the same quality standard of water needed for potable water supply, therefore using

treated reclaimed water for irrigation and other practices (toilet flush) on a performance-based context reduces

potable water treatment costs, and lowers energy requirements(EPRI, 2010).

Municipalities must identify and eliminate regulatory impediments to sustainable design and

development and service delivery by making revisions and updating provincial and municipal policies, codes

(plumbing), planning and zoning, and administrative procedures (engineering and health departments) to allow

or encourage sustainable water practices (EPRI, 2010).

Upper-tier and Lower-tier municipalities must account for climate change in all planning to coordinate

the planning of water, wastewater and stormwater. Most municipalities have long-term planning for water and

wastewater separately in different departments and also fail to have a long-term plan for stormwater. All three

aspects of water must have a long-term management plan coordinated with each other and with comprehensive

plan updates every 10 to 15 years (EPRI, 2010). The Comprehensive Plan is where the local land use plan is

“developed and resides, and where transportation, open space, recreation, and other long-range planning efforts

can come together” (EPRI, 2010).

The Fraser Basin Council (FBC), a non-profit that helps to coordinate sustainability initiatives across the

region (Source 1), is a great example of cooperation between The Region (Upper-tier) and its municipalities

(Lower-tier) and also of inter-jurisdictional cooperation; with directors from the four orders of government:

federal government, provincial government and eight regional districts in the Fraser Basin in British Columbia,

such as Metro Vancouver, as well as the Basin's eight major First Nations language groups (FBC, 2014). FBC’s

newly created Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy involves almost all local governments in the Metro

Vancouver region (Source 1). Table 1.3 below shows the interaction between some Upper tier and Lower tier

municipalities in British Columbia as well as Ontario.

Table 1.3 Water Integration, Policy and Governance between Upper Tier and Lower Tier.

Upper Tier

Lower Tier

Conservation

Integration

Financing

Governance

Regional District of Metro Vancouver (BC)

City of North Vancouver (Source 1).

-Summer lawn water restrictions. -Public outreach with free water saver kits for inside and outside water use.

- Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (SILG) -Ensuring City’s ISMP matches the regional district’s ILWRMP -The Fraser Basin Council (FBC).

Stormwater management is funded through general City expenditures.

-Greater

Vancouver

Sewerage

and Drainage

District

(GVS&DD) -Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD)

Regional District of Metro Vancouver (BC)

City of Surrey (Source 2).

-Summer lawn water restrictions. -Public outreach with free water saver kits for inside and outside water use.

- Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (SILG) -Ensuring City’s ISMP matches the regional district’s ILWRMP -The Fraser Basin Council (FBC).

-Capital and planning studies are funded through each utility. -City provides general revenue for the city wide plans to be developed.

-Greater

Vancouver

Sewerage

and Drainage

District

(GVS&DD) -Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD)

Region of Waterloo (ON)

The City of Waterloo (Source 3, 4)

-The Region oversees water conservation programs.

-Regular meetings e.g. Quarterly meetings to review best management practices. - City undertakes the repair work of transmission watermains (owned by Region).

Water, wastewater and stormwater assets are currently funded based on user rates.

The Region’s mayors of the seven local municipalities are Regional Councillors as well.

Region of Peel (ON)

The City of Mississauga (Source 5)

Implementation of lot-level low impact development

-Coordination of Projects. e.g. Roadway re-surfacing following watermain repair.

Current funding of the stormwater program is

Mississauga’s 11Councillors are Regional Councillors

approaches to help reduce the impact of stormwater runoff in the future

-Ensure Regional and City issues are coordinated as best as possible so educational campaigns and facility planning can involve representatives from both agencies.

generally through taxes and development charges.

as well.

Education and Stewardship Programs must be put in place as community outreach initiatives to teach

property owners about water source protection efforts and how they can help (EPRI, 2010). Municipalities are

encouraged to implement open space preservation in the watershed to enhanced “drinking water safety, reduced

or avoided treatment costs, ecosystem preservation or restoration, recreational opportunities, and carbon

offsets” (EPRI, 2010),contributing to local sustainability and higher quality of life.

Water resources are limited and the way municipalities design and manage their water infrastructure

systems is integral to sustainable resource management. Canadian municipalities are confronted by challenges

related to continued growth, climate change and aging infrastructure, and the increasingly limited ability of the

province’s waterways to absorb the impact of stormwater runoff and pollution. Through legislation across

Canada, Upper and Lower-tier municipalities can work collectively to create actions (supported by provincial

governments) to plan for sustainable management of water and to implement innovative stormwater, water

supply wastewater solutions such as Integrated Water Management System (IWMS). Resource efficiency,

recovery and recycling concepts (closed-loop systems) directly relate to environmental sustainability goals.

References

(EPRI, 2010) Sustainable Water Resources Management, Volume 3: Case Studies on New Water

Paradigm. EPRI, Palo Alto, CA and Tetra Tech: 2009. 1020587.

(McBean, 2014). McBean, E. Development of Integrated Risk Management Framework for Municipal Water Systems. CWN-CMWC-IRM-1 Proposal Information Form 2014 Integrated Risk Management for Municipal Water. 2014.

(Nelson et al. 2007). Nelson, V., S. Moddemeyer, and P. Schwartz. 2007. The Baltimore Charter for Sustainable Water Systems. Hosted by the Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment for Water Environment Research Foundation. http://sustainablewaterforum.org/baltimore.html.

(RBC, 2013). RBC Blue Water Project. 2013 RBC Canadian Water Attitudes Study.

http://www.cbsr.ca/sites/default/files/file/globescan_rbc_canadian_water_attitudes_study.pdf

(IPCC Report 2013). Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. 2013. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (IPCC). http://www.climatechange2013.org/

(Suzuki, 2013). Is Alberta Flooding a Sign of Climate Change? The Huffington Post. 2013.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-suzuki/alberta-flood-climate-change_b_3480005.html

(Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2011). Section 2: An Overview of Local Government. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 2011. http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page8391.aspx

(Water Opportunities Act, 2010). Minister of the Environment. Water Opportunities Act 2010.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_10w19_e.htm

(British Columbia Local Government Act, 1996). Local Government Act 1996. British Columbia. 2014.

(CVC, 2014) About CVC. Credit Valley Conservation. 2014. http://www.creditvalleyca.ca/about-cvc/

(MV, 2014) Board Members. Metro Vancouver. 2014. http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/Pages/directors.aspx

(DWMP, 2011). Drinking Water Management Plan. Metro Vancouver. June 2011.

http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/publications/Publications/DWMP-2011.pdf

(CNV, 2014). Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP). City of North Vancouver. 2014. http://www.cnv.org/Your-Government/Living-City/Environmental-Protection/Integrated-Stormwater-Management-Plan

(MVSMP, 2011). Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group. Metro Vancouver’s Stormwater Management Program. 2011. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/earthsciences/pdf/mun/pdf/vancouver_e.pdf

(FBC, 2014). The Fraser Basin Council (FBC). Board and Committees. 2014. http://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/about_board-committees.html

(BW, 2014). Useful Definitions. Bristol Water. 2014. http://www.bristolwater.co.uk/misc-info/useful-

definitions/

(Water Governance BC, 2014). Water Governance. Water Sustainability Act. British Columbia. 2014. http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/water-governance/

(Water Sustainability Act, 2014). Water Sustainability Act. British Columbia. 2014.

http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/

(Water for BC,2014) Pricing B.C.’s Water. Water for B.C. 2014. http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/files/2014/03/Pricing-B.C.s-Water.pdf

(Water Law Framework, 2014) Water Law Framework. Water Sustainability Act. British Columbia.

2014. http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/water-law-framework/

(Region of Waterloo, 2014). Region of Waterloo. Regional Council. 2014. http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalgovernment/regionalcouncil.asp

(Region of Peel, 2014). Region of Peel. Regional Council. 2014. http://www.peelregion.ca/council/

(Source 1)Research Assistant, Engineering, Parks & Environment. City of North Vancouver.

(Source 2). Drainage & Environment Manager. Engineering Department. City of Surrey.

(Source 3).Sr. Planning Engineer. Transportation and Environmental Services, Water Services. Region

of Waterloo.

(Source 4).Director, Water Services. Integrated Planning & Public Works. City of Waterloo.

(Source 5).Water Resources Engineer, Environmental Services Section. Transportation & Works Department, Transportation & Infrastructure Planning Division. City of Mississauga.

Appendices

Source 1

City of North Vancouver 1. Number and names of Lower-tier municipalities under this Upper-tier municipality?

Upper Tier Municipality (known as a Regional District, in this case): Metro Vancouver Lower Tier Municipalities

City of Abbotsford (only a member of Metro Vancouver with respect to park services) Village of Anmore Village of Belcarra Bowen Island Municipality City of Burnaby City of Coquitlam Corporation of Delta City of Langley Township of Langley Village of Lions Bay District of Maple Ridge City of New Westminster City of North Vancouver District of North Vancouver City of Pitt Meadows City of Port Coquitlam City of Port Moody City of Richmond City of Surrey Tsawwassen City of Vancouver District of West Vancouver City of White Rock Electoral Area A2. How is your upper tier council formed?

Metro Vancouver is made up of four separate corporate entities, each with a different set of members:

Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS&DD) Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC)

Each of these corporate entities is governed by its own board of directors, made up of elected officials from one of the municipalities of First Nations councils, except for Electoral Area A which has an appointed representative. The number of board members and their number of votes are determined by the population of the municipality. This is summarized here: http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/Pages/directors.aspx Governance

3. Upper & Lower Tier Questions

· 3.1 How is the upper tier council formed? See above. Directors are appointed from elected officials from the lower tier municipalities in most cases. http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/Pages/default.aspx

·3.2 How does the upper municipality and its lower municipalities interact? ·(Meetings? How often? Have by-laws ever conflicted? document sharing? Neighboring lower tier

municipalities work together? )

Metro Vancouver runs a large number of monthly meetings for each committee http://www.metrovancouver.org/boards/Pages/BoardsCommittees.aspx

Metro Vancouver also sets a number of region-wide policies that the Lower Municipalities must abide by. Examples include the Regional Growth Strategy, and the Integrated Liquid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ILWRMP). These region-wide policies often require each municipality to then create a local policy that fits within the broader plan and which must be approved by Metro Vancouver (e.g. Official Community Plans (OCP), and Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs)). Lower tier municipalities work together in a number of official and unofficial capacities. For example the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver are developing joint ISMPs to manage their three shared watersheds. We also participate in less formal working groups to coordinate action on specific issues, including climate change on the North Shore (which involves the City and District of North Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver, and the North Shore Emergency Management Office), and a Burrard Inlet Flood Sea Level Rise Collaborative (which involves several municipalities around Burrard Inlet and the Simon Fraser University Adaptation to Climate Change Team). The Fraser Basin Council (FBC - http://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/) is another good example of cooperation. The FBC is a non-profit that helps to coordinate sustainability initiatives across the region, such as the newly created Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy, which involves almost all local governments in the region.

4. Who is responsible for water, wastewater and stormwater assets in your municipality?

Water: Metro Vancouver is responsible the water supply for the entire region, all treating and water quality issues, and delivery to each municipality. Each municipality is then responsible for delivery to its customers. Wastewater: Metro Vancouver is responsible for all wastewater treatment, and the trunk lines which connect each municipality to the wastewater treatment plants. Each municipality is responsible for the smaller sanitary sewers that deliver sewage from each customer to the Metro Vancouver trunk lines. Stormwater: Individual municipalities are responsible for most stormwater planning and infrastructure. Metro Vancouver does set region-wide policy through the Liquid Waste Management Plan, and helps to coordinate management and research through the Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (SILG).

Lower Tier Municipality

5. Does your municipality have a combined water, wastewater and stormwater system? Under the same

office/umbrella and even same management?

There is no official combined system, however when work is done on one system we do look at whether we can take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade other infrastructure at the same time. We are also using the development of our Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) to do long term planning for both our stormwater and sanitary systems, how climate change will affect both of them, and to develop compatible computer models of the two using PCSWMM, which could be combined in the future.

6. Do your water; wastewater and stormwater assets operate under the provincial public utility act?

No, I don’t believe any of our assets operate under the BC public utility acts. We are still governed by the Drinking Water Protection Act, Drinking Water Protection Regulation, and the Water Act, however.

7. Who governs the water, wastewater and stormwater assets? And how is this governing body formed?

The water assets are mainly governed by the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) board as part of Metro Vancouver, with the smaller local assets governed by the individual municipalities. Similarly, the wastewater assets are governed by the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS&DD) board as part of Metro Vancouver, with the smaller local assets governed by the individual municipalities.

Stormwater assets are governed by the local municipal governments.

8. What is your drinking water loss in liters per day? Can you estimate where it goes?

This is something Metro Vancouver would manage.

9. How are water rates, wastewater rates and stormwater rates determined?

Water rates are determined by the GVWD as part of Metro Vancouver. New province wide policy will also come into effect in 2015 under the Water Sustainability Act (http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/) which will change the rate structure for bulk water use. Wastewater rates are set by the GVS&DD as part of Metro Vancouver. There are no distinct stormwater rates. Stormwater management is funded through general City expenditures.

10. What changes would you make to ensure your water, wastewater and stormwater assets have

financial stability, sustainability and predictability? How are they currently funded?

Dedicated funding for long-term monitoring and adaptive management programs, including flow creek and sewer flow monitoring, water quality, ecosystem health, etc.

Water metering should be instituted for all customers across the region, with a progressive rate structure and the ability for customers to easily track their water use.

Climate change should be explicitly accounted for in all planning. I think this will be one of the greatest driving forces to coordinate the planning of these three facets of water.

Much stricter planning and development regulations regarding effective impervious area and the use of green infrastructure (rain gardens, rain barrels, bioswales, green roofs, etc).

Ease regulation on the use of greywater, and look into providing area wide greywater collection or servicing (e.g. to flush toilets)

Protect and restore wetlands and creek-side habitat and natural areas. Continue to enforce very strict source water protection. More conservation programs, especially regarding lawn watering and the encouraging the use of

alternative ground cover.

11. Do you have a strategic plan for your water, wastewater and stormwater assets over the next 15

years? To what degree are these assets integrated?

Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy to 2040 provides a framework for land use related to water and wastewater. The strategy encourages a compact urban area that can operate more efficiently and requires less infrastructure, along with the conservation of lands that protect our drinking water and stormwater assets. In this case the different areas are integrated in that they all benefit from trying to attain higher levels goals (e.g. compact, complete community). The City of North Vancouver’s Official Community Plan and Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (in development) lay out similar objectives and land use plans to make the most of our infrastructure. The City also has asset management plans for all infrastructure, run using Hansen software. Our engineering department is also developing a strategic plan that will apply to all engineering works, however this is in the early stages of development.

12. What role does conservation play in your water, wastewater and stormwater assets?

There are several water conservation programs at both the municipal and regional district levels. These programs are mostly related to conserving drinking water (e.g. lawn watering regulations), but also benefit wastewater systems as well (e.g. low flow toilet rebates). Metro Vancouver also runs tours of our protected water source watersheds to increase understanding of the issue. Given that we live in a rainforest, a lot of residents don’t think of water scarcity as a problem.

How does North Vancouver co-operate with Metro Vancouver or Vice versa for water-related initiatives, issues, plans etc. Most Metro Vancouver decisions are made through Boards, which include representation from all or most member municipalities, including the City of North Vancouver. There are two water related boards, the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS&DD) and the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD). The City is active on these boards to shape Metro Vancouver water policy and initiatives. There are also a number of issue specific working groups, such as the Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group (SILG), which help to coordinate action and share best practices across the region. The City is an active member of this group and other similar groups. The City also cooperates with other municipalities through Metro Vancouver on purchase and design decisions for shared water infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment plants through the GVS&DD. There is also some lower level cooperation on specific projects, such as water conservation initiatives. These are usually done on an ad hoc basis.

What led them to create this system of co-operation and around when did this happen? Why did not North Vancouver (and the other municipalities) continue to manage their own water, wastewater systems just like they do with their storm water systems? Why create a regional district and a board? Pros, cons? I haven’t worked in this area long enough to know the full history, but it stems from the nature of Regional Districts in BC. Regional Districts provide only the services that are requested of them. They take a much more active and direct role in unincorporated communities (all those other than municipalities), often providing all of the services that municipalities provide in larger communities. The ability to serve multiple municipalities in the Metro Vancouver region with a small number of water and wastewater treatment plants makes it highly advantageous to operate these services at a regional level, along with the main trunk lines that connect the municipalities. Stormwater, on the other hand, is usually dealt with just within one municipality, or only shared between one or two where watersheds

cross municipal boundaries. Since the regional district would have to recoup its costs directly from the citizens benefiting from the stormwater infrastructure anyway, it makes more sense to control this at the local level instead.

A point or two for the table below would be great (again on cooperation) between MV and City of

North Vancouver

Conservation Integration Governance - Summer lawn water restrictions - Public outreach with free water saver kits for inside and outside water use

-SILG -Making sure the City’s ISMP matches the regional district’s ILWRMP

GVS&DD

Any pros and cons for Metro to not have jurisdiction over wastewater system and have to depend on

municipalities like North Vancouver? I can see some issues arising where the natural gravity flows in the sanitary sewer network make it necessary (or at least a lot more logical) for the wastewater systems of multiple municipalities to be joined. The City of North Vancouver has a few connections with the District of North Vancouver’s wastewater network, but these are usually connected to small areas rather than major sewers and do not cause any major issue with our network. In most cases I would think that cooperation between two or three municipalities would be more efficient than having the regional district manage the system, but there may be cases where regional coordination would be advantageous.

Does North Vancouver have to report back to Metro Vancouver for any water, storm water or wastewater data, targets, assets, programs, etc? Yes, under the ILWRMP there is a reporting requirement under the section Performance Measures and Adaptive Management. There is a range of stormwater related metrics that are required to be reported back to Metro Vancouver, and which the City will use to adjust its ISMP implementation. I don’t know as much about the water use or wastewater reporting, but there would certainly be water use billing for industrial and commercial customers, and flow monitoring in the wastewater system at certain points.

Source 2

Question 3.2: Metro Vancouver is comprised of all the local governments; they develop some higher level policies that local governments vote on before acceptance and adoption. Some items require 100% consent from local governments others more consensus. They do not direct our works though. With the liquid waste management plan we worked with MV to develop the plan and requirements and then also who was responsible to follow which requirements in order to get Provincial approvals. Each local government is then responsible to develop programs etc to meet the provincial requirements and those of the LWMP. Question 4.1: MV is responsible to some trunk mains but not distribution or collection systems. Surrey buys water from Metro Vancouver. They have mains under the Fraser that takes the water to various reservoirs in Surrey. We purchase the water from them but are responsible for our distribution system, metering etc. We could also supplement the water with our own sources if we wish. Some local governments do this like Township of Langley where they augment water supply with groundwater so residents pay less. The sanitary systems are all run by Surrey, we collect and pump to the Metro Vancouver mains that take the waste to the treatment plants. There are 3 MV mains in Surrey that are used to collect sewage from multiple local governments. Metro Vancouver manages all the sewage treatment plants. We all pay towards the operation and maintenance of the plants. MV has one committee to help coordinate stormwater as it relates to the LWMP but has no jurisdiction over any system except one where Burnaby/Vancouver and Coquitlam entered an agreement for MV to manage one watershed for them. In terms of water distribution in the city or sanitary servicing, its all done by City staff. I&I issues/programs are also managed by City staff. If we need additional chlorine, that’s again city responsibilities. We are also looking at doing some energy exchanges at our sewage lift stations. So MV big picture sewer & water treatment – local governments responsible for the rest. 4. Who is responsible for water, wastewater and stormwater assets in your municipality? At Surrey we have separate utilities for each water, waste water and stormwater. Each utility is responsible for their assets. Lower Tier Municipality 5. Does your municipality have a combined water, wastewater and stormwater system? Under the same office/umbrella and even same management? We have utilities for the management and funding of each asset group. All utility staff work for the City of Surrey in the Engineering department. Within each utility some staff work in operations and some in the capital section of the utility. So City and Engineering management levels are the same for all 3 utilities. (a tree would work better now to show the next breakdown) All 3 under 1 operations management and similarly 1 capital management structure. There is one more layer after this of managers for each asset group that get more specific into function and management. 6. Do your water; wastewater and stormwater assets operate under the provincial public utility act?No 7. Who governs the water, wastewater and stormwater assets? And how is this governing body formed? City Council has authority over the 3 utilities. They determine direction etc. 8. What is your drinking water loss in liters par day? Can you estimate where it goes? Some background – the City buys its water from Metro Vancouver. Both the City and Metro Vancouver meter the amount we take into our system. In the Vancouver area, there are very few meters on private residences and businesses. Surrey has been bringing in water meters for many years now but not all are metered so the numbers provided are an estimate. Homes and businesses not on meters were assumed to use the per capita average of those on meters.so we estimate that we lose 15,000 liters/day of drinking water from our system. This water is assumed to go into the ground.

9. How are water rates, wastewater rates and stormwater rates determined?

* Water rates for residents & businesses are derived from: costs to buy water from Metro Vancouver; 10 year capital plan to update or replace water infrastructure; operating costs to manage the water distribution system * Wastewater rates residents & businesses are derived from: costs to send wastewater to Metro Vancouver sewage treatment plant; 10 year capital plan to update or replace wastewater infrastructure; operating costs to manage the wastewater collection system * Stormwater rates residents & businesses are derived from: 10 year capital plan to update or replace stormwater infrastructure including dykes, shoreline protection, ravine stability etc; operating costs to manage the stormwater system – it should be noted that we have over 1500km of creeks in Surrey and over 100 km of dyke structures in addition to pump stations and pipe systems. Preservation of the natural environment associated with the creeks, rivers etc also fall under our drainage utility * separate funding for development trunk infrastructure is also in each budget. The monies come from development as they progress in the City. We have line items in each 10 year plans for development related infrastructure required to facilitate growth.

10. What changes would you make to ensure your water, wastewater and stormwater assets have financial stability, sustainability and predictability? How are they currently funded? We have been working on asset renewal programs and incorporating the replacement requirements into out 10 year program which then we can fund through the utility. We are also looking at trying to spread the renewal work out over a longer period. We are a newer community with newer infrastructure so infrastructure replacement is at a manageable rate at this time. The City has a Sustainability Charter, A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, various Neighbourhood Concept Plans, Water plan, Integrated Stormwater management plans for all subwatersheds, Lowlands strategy and various policies and Official Community plan. Through our plans, policies and bylaws, we are ensuring we are planning for current and future (even changing future) in a sustainable way. Council is supportive of adopting new ideas to ensure sustainability. We also have plans for each utility related to seismic vulnerability and making systems more resilient. Let me know the amount of detail you want as we are doing a lot in this field. We are even looking at heat recovery from our sanitary sewers to input into the City center district energy network. Capital and planning studies are funded through each utility as part of 10 year plan portion. City provides general revenue for the city wide plans to be developed. 11. Do you have a strategic plan for your water, wastewater and stormwater assets over the next 15 years? To what degree are these assets integrated? We have looked at the renewal requirements for each and have conducted some joint asset management studies. We manage our operations through the same software program and have linked plans through GIS to ensure we conduct renewals where possible together – including linking to road/pavement plans. 10 year plans are main funding sources yet we do have plans for renewals to much longer time frames. With sea level rise and 80-180 year horizons we have been also looking at how to incorporate with future conditions. FYI SLR is predicted at 1m by 2100 and 2m by 2200, this is also combined with land subsidence at about 2mm/year and then add storm surges and waves. In some places this means changes in groundwater and large costal protection needs etc will be 2-4 m higher than present by 2100. These factors in low lying areas are being taken into account when design new or upgrades services. 12. What role does conservation play in your water, wastewater and stormwater assets? We have large conservation programs for water and stormwater. We have been running Project Save H2O for 6 years now and Salmon Habitat Restoration Project for almost 20. Both programs are devoted to educating the public on water conservation and also healthy streams, fisheries enhancements and water quality. We have also developed other spin off programs for storm drain marking, industries, stream stewardship, etc. We have residents marking storm drains, as well as testing water quality. We do joint projects with schools and stream keeper groups to assist with education and also neighbour programs (stream planting, invasive removals etc).

Source 3 & 4

1. Name of Upper-tier municipality? Region of Waterloo.

2. Lower-tier municipalities under this Upper-tier municipality? Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo

and Townships of North Dumfries, Woolwich, Wilmot, and Wellesley.

3. Upper & Lower Tier Questions How is the upper tier council formed? Please see here http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalgovernment/regionalcouncil.asp How do the upper municipality and its lower municipalities interact? There is great interaction between the upper and lower tier municipalities for coordination for things such as infrastructure, programs and public communication. For water services, there are many types of meetings held at various frequencies to maintain communications. Regular meetings include annual meetings to review design standards and quarterly meetings to review best management practices which are attended by Region and lower tier representations as well as neighbouring jurisdiction, while project specific meetings include an invitation from the city. There is also a quarterly operations coordination meeting between the Region and City. I don’t know the history of every by-law but from the ones I know, they are developed with consultation of the lower tier municipalities. Bylaws are scrutinized by council also, which each lower tier municipality has a representative. Lower and upper tier municipalities each maintain their own database of information, but share on a case by case basis. There are many areas of overlap where the lower tier and upper tier have to work together. For example, the upper tier owns the trunk sewer, but in times of emergency repair, it sometimes makes sense for the lower tier to do the repair work. Note of correction, the sanitary collection system is owned by lower tier (including trunk sewers and pumping stations) and the Region owns treatment plant. I think the coordination Kaoru is referring to relates to the transmission watermains (owned by Region) whereby the City will undertake the repair work. 4. Who is responsible for water, wastewater and stormwater assets in your municipality?(see previous email) Lower Tier Municipality 5. Does your municipality have a combined water, wastewater and stormwater system? Not sure what is meant by combined. We do not have combined sewers if this is what is being referred to. Under the same office/umbrella and even same management? The water distribution system, wastewater collection system, and stormwater management system are all managed under the Water Services Division at the City of Waterloo 6. Do your water; wastewater and stormwater assets operate under the provincial public utility act? The City operates under the Municipal Act. I understand that the public utility act applies to utilities other than municipalities. 7. Who governs the water, wastewater and stormwater assets? And how is this governing body formed? City of Waterloo Council governs these assets. 8. What is your drinking water loss in liters par day? Can you estimate where it goes? Our non-revenue water loss including authorized and unauthorized water use (based on 2013 total water use) is approximately 4383955 l/day (represents 13% of total water use). We do estimate authorized non-

metered water (e.g. flushing activities, fire department use, etc.) to determine an actual water loss based on AWWA Water Audit practices and associated software. 9. How are water rates, wastewater rates and stormwater rates determined? Not sure if this question relates to the rate model components or the customer charges? For water and wastewater the majority of customer charges are consumption based (based on meter readings). For stormwater the charge is a tiered flat rate and is based on property type and size as a measure of impervious surface. 10. What changes would you make to ensure your water, wastewater and stormwater assets have financial stability, sustainability and predictability? How are they currently funded? All 3 are currently funded based on user rates. Water and wastewater have more financial stability, sustainability and predictability due to the long standing practice of rate predictions. Stormwater rates are not sustainable and an aggressive increase is planned over the next 3 years. An asset management plan is also required for all 3 assets which the City has initiated. 11. Do you have a strategic plan for your water, wastewater and stormwater assets over the next 15 years? To what degree are these assets integrated? From a funding/rate perspective we provide a 10 year rate model, identifying capital and operating forecasts and associated rates. We also have master plans developed for sanitary and stormwater. A water distribution master plan is scheduled for 2015/2016. An asset management plan has been initiated. 12. What role does conservation play in your water, wastewater and stormwater assets? The Region oversees water conservation programs and has implemented many measures for conservation in the community. The result over the past 10 years is a steady decline in water demand. While other factors likely also contributed to the decline, conservation has a part. The City of Waterloo also provides an incentive program for stormwater management practices on private properties.

Source 5

1. Number and names of Lower-tier municipalities under this Upper-tier municipality? [MISS: Mississauga is the lower-tier municipality under the upper-tier municipality of Region of Peel. The other two lower-tier municipalities are Brampton and Caledon.] 2. How is your upper tier council formed [MISS: Representation from each of the three lower-tier municipalities. At present, all of Mississauga’s 11 Councillors are also Regional Councillors. For your reference, more info can be found at http://www.peelregion.ca/council/] 3. Upper & Lower Tier Questions 3.1 How is the upper tier council formed? (in some municipalities, upper municipality councilors are

elected by the public, in others they are members of their lower tier councils)

[MISS: The Chair of Regional Council is elected by Regional Council. Otherwise, unfortunately I’m not that up to speed on the process and would suggest that you contact the Regional Clerk to obtain information on protocol. Sorry I couldn’t be of further help on this.] 3.2 How does the upper municipality and its lower municipalities interact? [MISS: Most of the lower tier municipalities work independently on storm drainage projects within their jurisdiction. However inter-municipal Staff work together on cross-boundary projects when necessary. Between upper and lower tier municipalities we work together to ensure projects are coordinated for example in the case of coordinating roadway re-surfacing following watermain repair. Our Councillors like to know that we work together to ensure Regional and City issues are coordinated as best as possible so educational campaigns and facility planning can involve representatives from both agencies.] 4. Who is responsible for water, wastewater and stormwater assets in your municipality? [MISS: Region takes care of water and wastewater, Municipality takes care of stormwater.] Lower Tier Municipality 5. Does your municipality have a combined water, wastewater and stormwater system? Under the same office/umbrella and even same management? [MISS: No.] 6. Do your water; wastewater and stormwater assets operate under the provincial public utility act? [MISS: With respect to stormwater, I don’t believe so. Would defer to Region for water & wastewater.] 7. Who governs the water, wastewater and stormwater assets? And how is this governing body formed? [MISS: With respect to stormwater, Staff manage the asset(s). Would defer to Region for water & wastewater.] 8. What is your drinking water loss in liters par day? Can you estimate where it goes? [MISS: Defer to Region.] 9. How are water rates, wastewater rates and stormwater rates determined? [MISS: Defer to Region. NOTE: Mississauga is presently in the process of moving to a stormwater utility however implementation is not planned until early 2016.] 10. What changes would you make to ensure your water, wastewater and stormwater assets have financial stability, sustainability and predictability? How are they currently funded?

[MISS: Defer to Region on water/wastewater. For stormwater, see answer to no.9 above. Current funding of the stormwater program is generally through taxes and development charges.] 11. Do you have a strategic plan for your water, wastewater and stormwater assets over the next 15 years? To what degree are these assets integrated? [MISS: Defer to Region on water/wastewater. For stormwater, we have a number of Studies that converge through the preparation of our Capital Plan which lays out a roadmap for planned improvements.] 12. What role does conservation play in your water, wastewater and stormwater assets? [MISS: Defer to Region on water/wastewater. For stormwater, the hope is that lot-level low impact development approaches will help to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff in the future.]