Design Standards
General Requirements
(1)This Subsection applies to the design of sewage systems.
(1)A site evaluation shall be conducted on every site where a new or replacement sewage system is to be installed.
(2)The percolation time shall be determined by
- (a) conducting percolation tests, or
- (b) classifying the soil according to one of the following methods,
- (i) the Unified Soil Classification System as described in MMAH Supplementary Standard SB-6, "Percolation Time and Soil Descriptions," or
- (ii) the Soil Texture Classification as described in Chapter 3 of USDA, "Soil Survey Manual."
(3)Where the percolation time is determined by a percolation test, there shall be a minimum of 3 locations selected, suitably spaced to accurately evaluate the leaching bed area, with the highest percolation time of the tests being used.
(1)For residential occupancies, the total daily design sanitary sewage flow shall be at least the value determined in accordance with Table 8.2.1.3.-A.
(2)For all other occupancies, the total daily design sanitary sewage flow shall be at least the value determined in accordance with Table 8.2.1.3.-B.
(3)Where a building contains more than one establishment, the total daily design sanitary sewage flow shall be the sum of the total daily design sanitary sewage flow for each establishment.
(4)Where an occupancy is not listed in Table 8.2.1.3.-B, the highest of metered flow data from at least 3 similar establishments shall be acceptable for determining the total daily design sanitary sewage flow.
| Residential Occupancy | Volume, litres |
|---|---|
| Apartments, Condominiums, Other Multi-family Dwellings - per person | 1 100 |
| Boarding Houses - Per person, with meals and laundry facilities | - |
| Boarding Houses - Per person, without meal or laundry facilities | - |
| Boarding Houses - Per non-resident staff per 8 hour shift | - |
| Boarding School - per person | - |
| 1 bedroom dwelling | - |
| 2 bedroom dwelling | 1 100 |
| 3 bedroom dwelling | 1 600 |
| 4 bedroom dwelling | 2 000 |
| 5 bedroom dwelling | 2 500 |
| Hotels and Motels (excluding bars and restaurants) - Regular, per room | - |
| Hotels and Motels - Resort hotel, cottage, per person | - |
| Hotels and Motels - Self service laundry, add per machine | 2 500 |
| Work Camp/Construction Camp, semi-permanent per worker | - |
| Establishments | Volume, litres |
|---|---|
| Airports, Bus Terminals, Train Stations, Dock/Port Facilities - Per passenger | - |
| Airports, Bus Terminals, Train Stations, Dock/Port Facilities - Per employee per 8 hour shift | - |
| Assembly Hall - per seat, No food service | - |
| Assembly Hall - per seat, Food service provided | - |
| Barber Shop/Beauty Salon - per service chair | - |
| Bowling Alleys (Food Service not included) - per lane | - |
| Churches and Similar Places of Worship - per seat, No kitchen facilities | - |
| Churches and Similar Places of Worship - per seat, Kitchen facilities provided | - |
| Country Club (excluding Food Service) - Per resident | - |
| Country Club (excluding Food Service) - Per employee per 8 hour shift | - |
| Country Club (excluding Food Service) - Per member or patron | - |
| Stores - Per 1.0 m2 of floor area | - |
| Stores - Per water closet | 1 230 |
| Swimming and Bathing Facilities (Public) - per person | - |
| Theatres - Indoor, auditoriums per seat | - |
| Theatres - Outdoor, drive-ins per space | - |
| Theatres - Movie theatres per seat | - |
| Veterinary Clinics - Per practitioner | - |
| Veterinary Clinics - Per employee per 8 hour shift | - |
| Veterinary Clinics - Per stall, kennel or cage if floor drain connected | - |
| Warehouse - Per water closet | - |
| Warehouse - Per loading bay | - |
(1)Unless it can be shown to be unnecessary, where the percolation time is 10 min or greater, the location of all components within a sewage system shall be in conformance with the clearances listed in Article 8.2.1.5. or 8.2.1.6.
(2)Unless it can be shown to be unnecessary, where the percolation time is less than 10 min, the clearances listed in Articles 8.2.1.5. and 8.2.1.6. for wells, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, rivers, springs or streams shall be increased to compensate for the lower percolation time.
(3)No building shall be constructed closer to any part of a sewage system than the clearances listed in Article 8.2.1.5. or 8.2.1.6.
(4)If more than one sewage system is located on a lot or parcel of land, there shall be no overlap of any part of the systems.
(1)Except as provided in Sentences 8.2.1.4.(1) and (2), no Class 1, 2 or 3 sewage system shall have a horizontal distance of less than that permitted by Table 8.2.1.5.
| Sewage System | Minimum horizontal distance in metres from a well with watertight casing to a depth of at least 6 m | Minimum horizontal distance in metres from a spring used as a source of potable water or well other than a well with a watertight casing to a depth of at least 6 m | Minimum horizontal distance in metres from a lake, river, pond, stream, reservoir, or a spring not used as a source of potable water | Minimum horizontal distance in metres from a property line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth Pit Privy | - | - | - | - |
| Privy Vault | - | - | - | - |
| Pail Privy | - | - | - | - |
| Greywater System | - | - | - | - |
| Cesspool | - | - | - | - |
(1)Except as provided in Sentences 8.2.1.4.(1) and (2), a treatment unit shall not be located closer than the minimum horizontal distances set out in Table 8.2.1.6.-A.
(2)Except as provided in Sentences 8.2.1.4.(1) and (2), the centre line of a distribution pipe or leaching chamber shall not be located closer than the minimum horizontal distances set out in Table 8.2.1.6.-B and these distances shall be increased when required by Sentence 8.7.4.2.(11).
(3)Except as provided in Sentences 8.2.1.4.(1) and (2), a holding tank shall not be located closer than the minimum horizontal distances set out in Table 8.2.1.6.-C.
| Object | Minimum Clearance, m |
|---|---|
| Structure | 1.5 |
| Well | - |
| Lake | - |
| Pond | - |
| Reservoir | - |
| River | - |
| Spring | - |
| Stream | - |
| Property Line | - |
| Object | Minimum Clearance, m |
|---|---|
| Structure | - |
| Well with a watertight casing to a depth of at least 6 m | - |
| Any other well | - |
| Lake | - |
| Pond | - |
| Reservoir | - |
| River | - |
| Spring not used as a source of potable water | - |
| Stream | - |
| Property Line | - |
| Object | Minimum Clearance, m |
|---|---|
| Structure | 1.5 |
| Well with a watertight casing to a depth of at least 6 m | - |
| Any other well | - |
| Spring | - |
| Property Line | - |
Treatment and Holding Tanks
(1)This Subsection applies to any tank used in a sewage system for collecting, treating, holding or storing sanitary sewage.
(1)A tank that is used as a treatment unit in a Class 4 sewage system or a holding tank in a Class 5 sewage system shall conform to the requirements of CSA B66, "Design, material, and manufacturing requirements for prefabricated septic tanks and sewage holding tanks."
(2)Material standards, access and construction methods and practices for a tank used for other Classes of sewage systems shall conform to the requirements of CSA B66, "Design, material, and manufacturing requirements for prefabricated septic tanks and sewage holding tanks."
(3)Sentence (2) does not apply to a tank that is an integral part of a prefabricated Class 1 sewage system.
(4)Access openings shall be located to facilitate the pumping of all compartments and the servicing of the inlet and outlet of each compartment not accessible by removal of the tank top or part of it.
(5)A tank shall not be covered by soil or leaching bed fill having a depth greater than the maximum depth of burial that the tank is designed to withstand.
(6)A tank shall be securely anchored when located in an area subject to flooding or where ground water levels may cause hydrostatic pressures.
(1)The minimum working capacity of a septic tank shall be the greater of 3 600 L and
- (a) in residential occupancies, twice the daily design sanitary sewage flow, or
- (b) in non-residential occupancies, three times the daily design sanitary sewage flow.
(2)Every septic tank shall be constructed in such a manner that any sanitary sewage flowing through the tank will pass through at least 2 compartments.
(3)The working capacity of the compartments required in Sentence (2) shall be sized such that
- (a) the first compartment is at least 1.3 times the daily design sanitary sewage flow but in no case less than 2 400 L, and
- (b) each subsequent compartment shall be at least 50% of the first compartment.
(4)Where multiple tanks are to be used to meet the requirements of Sentences (2) and (3), the tanks shall be connected in series such that
- (a) the first tank in the series shall have at least a capacity as calculated in Clause (3)(a), however at no time shall a tank having a working capacity of less than 3 600 L be used,
- (b) all additional tanks after the first tank, excluding pump or dosing tanks shall have at least a working capacity equal to the volume required by Clause (3)(b),
- (c) the pipe between the outlet of one tank and the inlet of the next tank in the series shall have a minimum slope of 2 percent,
- (d) there shall be no partitions in the tank except where a partition is required to maintain the structural integrity of the tank, in which case openings within the partition shall be provided to allow the free movement of sanitary sewage throughout the tank, and
- (e) all piping between tanks shall be continuous and shall be connected to the tank through the use of flexible watertight seals that will permit differential movement between the tanks.
(5)Partitions separating the septic tank into compartments shall extend at least 150 mm above the liquid level at the outlet, and there shall be one or more openings through or above the partition.
(6)The openings required between compartments referred to in Sentence (2) shall have a total cross-sectional area of at least three times the area of the inlet pipe and be located between the top and a level 150 mm above the liquid level at the outlet to provide for the free flow of air between compartments.
(7)Sanitary sewage shall pass from one compartment to another of the septic tank as follows:
- (a) by means of a device similar to that described in CSA B66, "Design, Material, and Manufacturing Requirements for Prefabricated Septic Tanks and Sewage Holding Tanks" for outlet devices, or
- (b) through two or more openings through the partition located in a horizontal line, and evenly spaced across the width of the partition, centred at approximately 40% of the liquid depth below the surface of the liquid, and having a total area of between three and five times that of the cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe.
(8)A septic tank shall be of such design and construction as will permit the collection and holding of sanitary sewage in it to a depth of not less than 1 000 mm, except that a depth of not less than 900 mm is permitted where the excavation is in rock, or to avoid rupture or displacement of the tank due to ground water pressure.
(9)Except as provided in Sentences (10) and (11), every septic tank shall be installed in such a manner that the access openings are located not more than 300 mm below the ground surface.
(10)Where the top of the septic tank is located more than 300 mm below the ground surface, it shall be equipped with risers that extend from the access opening of the septic tank to within 300 mm of the ground surface.
(11)Where risers are used they shall conform to the requirements of CSA B66, "Design, material, and manufacturing requirements for prefabricated septic tanks and sewage holding tanks," and shall have adequate access openings to allow for regular maintenance of the septic tank.
(1)All holding tanks shall be of such design and construction as will allow the complete removal of solid matter that can be expected to settle in the holding tank through an apparatus or device suitable for allowing the contents of the holding tank to be removed from the holding tank.
(2)A holding tank shall have a working capacity of not less than 9 000 L.
(3)Where two or more tanks are used to meet the requirement of Sentence (2), they shall be deemed to be one holding tank provided they are connected in such a manner as will allow the sanitary sewage contained in them to flow between the tanks.
(4)The working capacity of the tanks described in Sentence (3) shall not include any portion of any tank that cannot be completely drained due to the manner in which the connections are made.