In this section

All wastewater that enters the sewer must meet standards set by the Town of Sylvan Lake, Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission and the City of Red Deer. 

Contaminants in wastewater from residential homes or businesses can cause serious harm to:

  • The Town of Sylvan Lake's wastewater system
  • The staff responsible for maintaining the lines 
  • The wastewater pipeline to Red Deer
  • The City of Red Deer wastewater treatment plant
  • The environment  

What kind of contaminants can cause damage?

  • Fat(s), oil, and grease (FOG)
  • Heavy metals such as mercury, silver, copper, tin and zinc
  • High levels of acidity or alkalinity, heavy metals, oil, grease and other petroleum products
  • Sugar and alcohol, solids that easily turn into sludge, low pH levels, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and total suspended solids
  • Other industry specific contaminants

Food Service Establishments (FSEs)

Food service establishments (FSEs) operating in the Town of Sylvan Lake must meet the wastewater standards set by the Town of Sylvan Lake’s Water and Sewage Bylaw 1805/2020, Sylvan Lake Regional Water/Wastewater Commission, and the City of Red Deer.

The Grease Guide explains how to meet wastewater standards, and contains helpful information about:

  • FOG (fat, oil, grease)
  • Grease interceptors
  • Cleaning and Reporting
  • Best management practices

The Town of Sylvan Lake ongoing commitment to the importance of proper management of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) generated by Food Services Establishments (FSE) within our jurisdiction. 

The requirement to install and maintain a grease interceptor is a crucial aspect of ensuring the responsible handling of FOG.  This mandate applies to all FSEs where food is prepared, processed, heated, cooked, packaged, served, or otherwise handled in a manner that results in the formation of fats, oils, and grease. This includes a wide range of establishments such as restaurants, cafes, bakeries, banquet halls, and mobile vendors among others. 

We understand that each FSE has its unique operations and circumstances. Therefore, we encourage any FSE within the Town of Sylvan Lake that believes it does not generate wastewater containing fats, oils, or grease to request an exemption.  

This exemption program is available to FSEs that meet specific criteria, which include: 

  1. Lunchrooms (excluding cafeterias)

  2. Kitchenettes in motels and bed and breakfasts operations 

  3. Community facilities with limited food service capabilities, where food is prepared off-site, and utensils are washed off-site 

  4. FSEs that solely sell pre-packaged food and do not prepare any food or use permaware (dishes) 

  5. FSEs that prepare food containing fats, oils, or grease, but the washing of dishes occurs at a different location equipped with a grease interceptor 

It is our shared responsibility to ensure that our community’s environmental health is safeguarded, and the proper handling of FOG plays an integral role in achieving this goal. 

Get started

The Town of Sylvan Lake may consider requests for longer servicing frequencies for grease interceptor maintenance, up to a maximum of eight (8) weeks.  We understand the importance of maintaining an efficient servicing schedule while ensuring that our local businesses can operate smoothly.

A grease interceptor servicing frequency extension may be granted if your establishment demonstrates, through accurate records of weekly grease measurements including photos, that the combined grease and solids does not exceed 25% of the interceptor’s liquid volume within an eight (8) week period. 

To be eligible your establishment must: 

  1. Be registered for the Town of Sylvan Lake’s online self-reporting program 
  2. Have submitted maintenance logs for a minimum of three (3) months prior to applying for the program
  3. Be in good standing with the Town of Sylvan Lake. This includes having an active business license, and no outstanding Notice to Remedy or Municipal Tags 

This platform facilitates streamlined communication and documentation submission, ensuring a transparent and efficient process for both parties involved.  Please ensure that all required documentation, including weekly grease measurements with photos of the inspections are complete before applying to avoid your application being rejected.

This evidence forms the basis for the relaxation of the maintenance requirements and will ensure that the FSE is operating in compliance with appropriate standards and poses no risk to the local environment should an extension be granted.  

It is crucial to emphasize that failure to provide the required documentation within the stipulated timeframe will result in the denial of your application. Eligible businesses are invited to apply only once per calendar year.   

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Automotive 

 The automotive source control information is coming soon.

Beverage Manufacturing

Alcohol and fermentation facilities operating in the Town of Sylvan Lake must meet wastewater standards. Facilities include micro-breweries, co-packers, wineries, cideries, distilleries, and kombucha producers.

  • Fermentation facility wastewater that enters the sewer must meet standards set by the Town of Sylvan Lake’s Water and Sewage Bylaw 1805/2020, Sylvan Lake Regional Water/Wastewater Commission, and the City of Red Deer.
  • The Fermentation Guide explains how to meet wastewater standards by addressing these common wastewater issues:
    • pH levels
    • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
    • Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
    • Temperature
    • High water usage
    • Spoiled batches or off-spec product

Dental

The dental source control information is coming soon.

Overstrength

This program is designed to recover the cost of treatment and applies to a customer who releases wastewater to the sewer system containing one or more constituents that exceed the concentration limits set out in Section 2 Schedule D of the Town of Sylvan Lake’s Water and Sewage Bylaw.

Although overstrength substances are acceptable, at higher concentrations the treatment of them comes at an extra cost. (I.e. cleaning blockages of oil & grease and solids, increased energy consumption, additional fees from The City of Red Deer).

Download Overstrength Surcharge Program Brochure.

What substances have overstrength concentration limits?

  • There are 6 substances that are considered acceptable at lower concentrations but due to the cost of treatment are considered overstrength at higher concentrations.
  • Above the maximum allowable concentration limit, these substances are prohibited and must not be discharged into the sewer under any circumstances at any time.

What substances have overstrength concentration limits?

  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Limit: 300 mg/L | Max limit: 3000 mg/L 
  • Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Limit: 600 mg/L* | Max limit: 9600 mg/L
  • Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Limit: 300 mg/L | Max limit: 3500 mg/L
  • Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Limit: 150 mg/L* | Max limit: 500 mg/L
  • Total Phosphorous (TP) Limit: 20 mg/L | Max limit: 150 mg/L
  • Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) Limit: 100 mg/L* | Max limit: 400 mg/L
  • Limited by Town of Sylvan Lake Bylaw
  • *1805/2020 Limited by City of Red Deer Bylaw 3606/2018

What is the difference between overstrength and prohibited?

  • Overstrength substances can be managed by wastewater collection and treatment systems, but come at an extra cost to do so.
  • Prohibited substances are wastes that may not be able to be managed by the collection, transmission and treatment systems and may result in health, safety or environmental implications.
  • For a comprehensive list of all over strength and prohibited substances see Town of Sylvan Lake Bylaw 1805/2020

How do I know if my wastewater is overstrength?

  • Depending on the industry and pre-treatment processes, there may be several checkpoints along the way used to verify constituent values.
  • The Town of Sylvan Lake confirms values by sampling wastewater effluent leaving the business and having the results analyzed by an accredited laboratory.

I have an overstrength surcharge. What happens now?

  • Businesses are faced with a decision when receiving an overstrength surcharge on their municipal utility bill. Continue to pay the overstrength surcharges or implement pre-treatment or process modifications to reduce or even potentially eliminate their overstrength surcharges.
  • To be removed from this program the following criteria must be met:
  • Implementation of industry specific Best Management Practices to reduce or eliminate contamination.
  • Apply online for a Compliance review of your account
  • Approved Source Control Corrective Action Plan
  • Satisfactory testing at the end of the 3-month period

Are these limits new?

  • No, although the program is new, the overstrength concentration limits set out in the Town of Sylvan Lakes bylaw 1805/2020 have been in place since 2017
  • As of July 2019, all wastewater collected from the Town of Sylvan Lake’s residential, commercial and industrial customers is transported to Red Deer for treatment
  • The negative impacts of contaminants in the sewer system can range from higher operations and maintenance costs to the complete failure of the biological processes used for treatment at The City of Red Deer’s Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • As a customer of the City of Red Deer we have an obligation to meet the requirements set out by the City of Red Deer in addition to protecting the staff and infrastructure within the boundaries of the Town of Sylvan Lake

How much will my new rate be?

  • Overstrength surcharge rates are based on water usage and will be applied to the customers’ next monthly utility bill. Each overstrength substance has its own rate, rates will be combined and totalled if the effluent contains more than one substance
  • Example: A customer whose base collection rate for wastewater is $2.97/m3 exceeds both FOG ($1.80/m3 of water consumed) and TSS ($2.00/m3 of water consumed) The new rate would be calculated as follows:
    • Collection rate $2.97 /m3
    • Overstrength FOG $1.80 /m3
    • Overstrength TSS $2.00 /m3
    • New rate $6.77 /m3

Monitoring Access Points/Sample Manholes

The Town of Sylvan Lake (Town) Environmental Services team uses monitoring access points (MAP), also known as sampling manholes, to periodically monitor and inspect wastewater service connections at commercial and industrial facilities to determine compliance with applicable effluent limitations under Schedule F Prohibited Waste and Schedule G Restricted Waste of the Town of Sylvan Lake’s Water and Sewage Bylaw 1805/2020.

Monitoring access points are required when the pipe is new, when the premises are redeveloped; or when required to do so by the Environmental Services Department. For more information please see The Monitoring Access Point Guide.