A pump removes contaminated water from a construction site to discharge into a sanitary sewer

MPCA Photos [CC BY-NC 2.0], Flickr

Wastewater discharge permit (for groundwater remediation and construction at contaminated sites)

Check if you need a wastewater discharge permit

Read Bulletin 2017-001-EV Groundwater Discharges from Contaminated Sites (60 KB).

The wastewaste discharge permit regulates contaminated groundwater discharge to the sanitary sewer during remediation and construction projects.

We may require you to get this permit as a condition of your rezoning or development permit application. If you need it, apply as part of your building permit application.

Apply for a permit
1. Download the wastewater discharge permit application form (301 KB).
2. Gather the supporting documents:
  - Site plan
  - Proof of a registry search (dated within the past 30 days) that shows your company is registered with the BC Ministry of Finance
3. Send your application, the supporting documents, and permit fee to Environmental Protection.
4. Following the submission of a complete application, review and permit issuance can be up to 8 weeks.
5. We share the outcome of the review and any discharge conditions. If amendments are made to the application, then additional review time will be necessary.
6. We invoice you for the waste discharge permit administration fee and contaminated groundwater discharge fee.
7. We issue your permit.
Change your permit
There are 2 types of changes: minor and major.

Minor amendments

Include:
- Change of your company's name or legal address
- Change of your monitoring program
- Decrease in the quantity of contaminants or flow requested
- Change to the discharge you are authorized for, such that, in the opinion of the sewage control manager, there would be equal or lower demand for regulation and treatment
- Change to the works or measures you are authorized for, such that, in the opinion of the sewage control manager, there would be equal or lower demand for regulation and treatment
Major amendments

Include all other changes.

Amend your permit

Send the following to Environmental Protection:
1. A letter with the information you want to change on your permit
2. A cheque for the amendment fee that applies to your changes
We may contact you to ask for further information.

Fees

Item	Fee
Initial application	$500.00, for a maximum instantaneous flow of 6 L/s or less $1,000.00, for a maximum instantaneous flow of more than 6 L/s
Minor amendment	$250.00
Major amendment	$500.00

No tax is charged.

Pay for the initial application when you apply by cheque payable to the City of Vancouver.

Regulations
We enforce a municipal and regional district bylaw since Vancouver is part of the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District
- City of Vancouver: Sewer and Watercourse By-law (215 KB)