Surcharge for High Strength Wastes to be changed today but will any enforcement follow?

Once again the City is changing its fee schedule for the discharge of High Strength Wastes into our sewer system. They are not changing the 1.19 per Kg. that is the present rate but introducing a sliding scale so as to encourage customers to reduce their High Strength Waste pollution.

"At present, the surcharge for BOD and TSS occurs once levels of high strength waste exceed 500 mgtl of BOD and 500 mgtl of TSS. Although for most customers this surcharge will not apply, one customer in Vernon is presently contributing waste in the range of 2500 to 5000 mgtl of BOD and up to 1500 mgtl of TSS. In order to discourage the continued discharge of high strength waste, a sliding scale for the surcharge has been suggested as a means of encouragement to reducing high strength concentrations. "

The extended deadline with the one customer (as illustrated in brief history below) will expire June 30, 2008. Will it be enforced then or will it once again be extended. (Council must shit or get off pot.)

"BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
Based on the Bylaw amendments imposing a new rate structure for high strength wastes and a provision for sewer charges to be calculated on actual metered flows, there could be a net revenue increase to the City of approximately $300,000 annually to offset the higher treatment costs. It is likely that these additional costs will trigger implementation of further programs and processes by businesses to reduce the levels of high strength waste they are producing. "

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Dec 10,2007:

Today at the Cow meeting the original deadline of Dec. 31,2006 will be once again extended to June 30,2008. Left unreported in the staff's report is the cost estimation that would be incurred by Okanagan Springs Brewery if this bylaw had been enforced. (last Spring the estimation was in excess of $100,000 at the old rates.) The Staff is also recommending that they change the bylaw in the strength area of bylaw 4863 to reduce the onerous burden on this plant !

The link below gives you the solutions that Sleeman's used in their Guelph plant in 2003 http://www.oceta.on.ca/documents/sleeman_fnl.pdf Sleeman’s Guelph Operation Cost Efficiencies in the Brewing Business Highlights• On-site carbon dioxide recovery system with potential savings of $150,000/yr• 30% potential reduction in water and sewer costs, saving $62,500/yr•

OKANAGAN SPRING BREWERY ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT (P. 33)
(i) THAT the Enforcement Agreement between the City of Vernon and Sleeman Breweries Ltd. be extended to June 30, 2008, to allow for further modifications to the facilities and operation of the Okanagan Springs Brewery;

Surcharge for High Strength Wastes (From bylaw 3909) Increases to 1.19 per KG in March 2007 (?)
$0.885 per kg of Biochemical Oxygen Demand in excess of the limits contained in the Sanitary Sewer Use Bylaw discharged to the City of Vernon sanitary sewer system.
$0.885 per kg of Total Suspended Solids in excess of the limits contained in the Sanitary Sewer Use Bylaw discharged to the City of Vernon sanitary sewer system