Overview
The District of Summerland Wastewater Treatment Plant serves 4,232 residents in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. It is an operational facility managing municipal wastewater in the Okanagan region.
The District of Summerland Wastewater Treatment Plant is a municipal facility located in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. It serves a population of approximately 4,232 residents, making it a small-scale treatment plant within the Okanagan-Similkameen region. The plant is situated near Trout Creek and operates under Canadian provincial and federal wastewater regulations. As a small agglomeration, the plant is expected to meet secondary treatment standards under Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), which apply to all wastewater systems discharging into fish-bearing waters. These regulations require effluent quality standards for carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and other parameters. It operates within a regulatory framework designed to protect aquatic ecosystems. The plant's treated effluent likely discharges into Trout Creek, which flows into Okanagan Lake, a large freshwater lake in the Okanagan Valley. Okanagan Lake ultimately drains via the Okanagan River into the Columbia River system, which reaches the Pacific Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of this important watershed, which supports diverse aquatic life and recreational activities.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into Trout Creek, a tributary of Okanagan Lake, which is part of the larger Okanagan River basin. Okanagan Lake is a deep, oligotrophic lake that supports a variety of fish species, including kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. The downstream Okanagan River flows into the Columbia River, a major waterway that ultimately reaches the Pacific Ocean. The region's semi-arid climate and reliance on irrigation make water quality protection critical for both ecological health and human use.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located at 7632 Dunn Street, in the Trout Creek area of Summerland, British Columbia, Canada.
The plant serves a population of approximately 4,232 residents in the District of Summerland.
The plant discharges treated effluent into Trout Creek, which flows into Okanagan Lake, part of the Okanagan River basin.
The plant operates under Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), which set national effluent quality standards for wastewater systems discharging into fish-bearing waters.
In Canada, small wastewater systems serving populations under 5,000 are typically required to provide secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids.
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