Sanitary Sewage and Pollutants Draining into Mill Creek (A. Bolstad)

Recommendation:
That the March 12, 2004, Asset Management and Public Works Department report 2004PWD036 be received for information.

Report Summary

This is an information report regarding pollutants draining into Mill Creek.

Previous Council/Committee Action

  • At the April 5, 2004, Community Services Committee meeting, the March 12, 2004, Asset Management and Public Works Department report 2004PWD036 was postponed to the April 19, 2004, Community Services Committee meeting.
  • At the February 9, 2004, Community Services Committee meeting, the following motion was passed:

That Administration prepare a report on the water quality of Mill Creek with a focus on determining the cause, or causes, of soapy froth on the water surface, and report back to the Community Services Committee.

Report

  • The City of Edmonton (the City) conducts an annual Monitoring Program to characterize water quality in the creeks including Mill Creek. Results of this Creek Monitoring Program have determined that water quality in Mill Creek is generally similar to that of the City’s major storm outfalls, except for Volatile Organic Compounds. Organic compounds are from a wide-range of natural and man-made sources, including fats, oils, hydrocarbons, and grease.
  • Water quality from the City’s storm outfalls normally meet industry- accepted criteria for stormwater.
  • The soapy froth on the water surface of Mill Creek is likely caused by the presence of fats, oils, and grease. Grease (which includes oils) can cause unsightly floating matter on the water surface.
  • To address discharges of hydrocarbons to Mill Creek, the Mill Creek Oil Removal Facility (the Facility) was constructed in 1999.
  • The Facility has successfully removed up to 5,000 litres of hydrocarbons per year from Mill Creek since 1989. Ongoing investigations into the source of these spills, accidental or intentional, in the southeast industrial sector of the Mill Creek/Fulton Creek Basin have so far failed to identify the source of these hydrocarbons.
  • Recently, this Facility was winterized to allow year-round operation to capture hydrocarbons and any other organics that may float on the water surface.

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