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Alberta Government Authorizes Aerobic Bacteria Technology
Aerobic bacteria technology was assessed as a remediation option for failed or failing sewage treatment systems. The assessment found that no detrimental effects or changes to the basic operating principles of an existing sewage treatment system occurred and that performance was improved.
Notice
Remediation of Existing Sewage Treatment Systems
Discipline Private Sewage
Date Effective August 25, 2020
For further information, contact Municipal Affairs, Technical and Corporate Services Division toll-free at 1-866-421-6929.
The remediation of failed or failing sewage treatment systems has been a topic of concern for property owners and the sewage treatment industry. Municipal Affairs is not a certifying body and does not endorse specific products. The department also does not prevent the appropriate use of technology in existing sewage treatment systems. This notice clarifies considerations for the remediation of a failed sewage treatment system.
Aerobic bacteria technology was assessed as a remediation option for failed or failing sewage treatment systems. The assessment found that no detrimental effects or changes to the basic operating principles of an existing sewage treatment system occurred and that performance was improved.
Property owners are responsible for operating and maintaining the private sewage treatment system serving their property and, as owners, they may choose to use remediation technology in existing systems. It is important that owners have an appropriate assessment done to determine if the existing system can be adequately remediated.
Conditions where this notice applies.
This Notice applies to existing sewage treatment systems where there are no changes to the original design considerations such as the number of bedrooms, no additional water fixtures or changes to peak design flows of the wastewater stream.
Permits required for remediation
Provincial legislation does not require a permit for the replacement of any equipment of a private sewage disposal system with units of similar type. If additional equipment is added to maintain the system and does not modify the design of the system, that activity does not require a permit. Remediation/maintenance technology improves the operation of the existing treatment system.
Always check with the Authority Having Jurisdiction as they may establish requirements for a permit for the remediation of a sewage treatment system. The installation of any electrical components needed to operate the remediation technology may require an electrical permit.
For clarification, a permit is required for a new private sewage undertaking, the replacement of an existing treatment system, and for example if the design of an existing treatment system is increased/altered such as to accommodate larger peak sewage flows due to a home renovation.
Requirements for remediation personnel
There are no regulatory requirements on who can provide remediation services. The manufacturer may or may not limit the installation practices of the technology. Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Packaged sewage treatment plants
This notice does not apply to packaged sewage treatment plants. Any process that claims to treat sewage to a quality beyond that of septic tank quality is considered a packaged sewage treatment plant and must be certified to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF/ANSI) Standard 40, Class 1, for Residential Wastewater Treatment Systems or the CAN/BNQ-3680-600 Standard for Onsite Residential Wastewater Treatment Technologies. Packaged sewage treatment plants, including the tank design, tank size and integral components must be tested and certified as a complete unit.
Alberta Government link to Notice: Remediation of Existing Sewage Treatment Systems
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