Liquid Waste Management Plan
Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) - Project
What is an LWMP is and why it is important?
A Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) is a comprehensive strategy developed by municipalities or local governments to manage liquid waste sustainably. These plans are tailored to local conditions and are designed to comply with provincial environmental regulations while addressing the specific needs of the community.
Key Components of a LWMP:
- Wastewater Collection and Treatment: Plans detail how wastewater (Including stormwater) will be collected from homes, businesses, and industries and treated to remove harmful contaminants before being safely returned to the environment.
- Environmental Protection: They ensure the treated water returned to the environment meets or exceeds safety standards to protect ecosystems and water resources.
- Long-term Planning: Includes strategies for infrastructure upgrades, future population growth, retrofit sewer, and climate change adaptation.
- Community Input: Public engagement ensures the plan reflects community values and priorities.
- Reclaimed Water Use: Promotes the safe reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation, industrial processes, or other non-potable uses.
- Financial Strategy: Addresses the costs of implementing the plan, including infrastructure investments and ongoing maintenance
Another key aspect of a Liquid Waste Management Plan is that it enables communities to strategically work toward meeting the standards outlined in the Provincial Municipal Wastewater Regulations (MWR) over time.
April 2025 Update:
Update to Sanitary Sewer Rates
Council has approved changes to the funding model for the sanitary sewer system through the adoption of Sanitary Sewer Regulations and Rates Amendment Bylaw No. 1270, 2025.
The Liquid Waste Management Plan - Draft Stage 3 report is now available.
What’s Changing?
Previously, the system was funded by a combination of user fees and parcel taxes (the Sewer Service Parcel Tax and Environmental Levy). Through public input gathered during the Liquid Waste Management Plan process, we heard that the community wants sewer system costs to be borne by those who benefit directly from it. In response, the District developed a funding model that shifts revenue generation from parcel taxes to user fees.
These updates took effect on January 1, 2025, and residents will see the first changes reflected on Quarter 1 Utility Bills. And all properties will see the removal of the Environmental Levy ($75) and Sewer Parcel Tax ($275) on their 2025 Property Tax Notice.
What this means for you
Properties Connected to the Sewer System
- The $75 Environmental Levy and $275 Sewer Parcel Tax will be removed from property taxes.
- Your Sewer User Fee will increase to $640 per year, billed quarterly at $160 per bill.
- This results in a $40 net increase in 2025 for properties on the sanitary sewer system this year.
Properties Not Connected but Able to Connect
- The Environmental Levy ($75) and Sewer Parcel Tax ($275) will be removed from property taxes.
- A Non-Connection Fee ($275) will be added to Utility Bills.
Properties Not Connected and Not Able to Connect
- The Environmental Levy ($75) will be removed from property taxes.
- No sewer-related charges will appear on Utility Bills.
Multifamily – Non-Strata
- Previously, non-strata multifamily properties paid one set of parcel taxes and multiple user fees.
- In 2025, Parcel taxes will be removed, and Utility Bills will reflect the same number of sewer user fee as previous years.
- This change results in a significant increase in annual costs for these properties. To support a smoother transition, the District will phase in the user fee for multifamily non-strata properties, beginning with a lower rate in 2025 and gradually increasing each year to match the standard residential user fee by 2028.
Connected | Not connected, able to connect | Not connected, not able to connect | ||||
2024 | 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | |
Environmental Levy | 75 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 75 | 0 |
Parcel Tax | 275 | 0 | 275 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
User Fee | 250 | 640 | 0 | 275 | 0 | 0 |
Total Annual Cost | 600 | 640 | 350 | 275 | 75 | 0 |
View the Sewer rates presentation discussed at the March 4, 2025 Regular Council Meeting.
January 2025 Update:
The District is finalizing the DRAFT Stage 3 report, which is the last phase of the process. With Council support, this report will soon be submitted to the Province for review and approval. The Draft Stage 3 report addresses key elements such as:
- A long-term reclaimed water use strategy,
- Retrofit sewer planning, and
- A financial strategy for implementation.
Interested members of the community are encouraged to review the attached related documents and reports, or scroll to the bottom leave comments and ask questions or fill out the survey.
April, 2024 Update:
Update on the Liquid Waste Management Plan is now available for review. You can find the information below or by downloading the PDF Document. The information can also be found beginning on page 5 in the 2024 Citizen Bulletin.
Once you have a chance to review the information please take a few minutes to fill out the short survey.
November 7, 2023:
Liquid Waste Management Plan Update and Financial Strategy:
Ehren Lee & Joel Short from Urban Systems presented to Council an update on the Liquid Waste Management Plan along with proposed financial strategy to move the project forward once the Province approves the Environmental Assessment process. You can watch the presentation online.
November 15, 2022
February, 2022 The Okanagan Indian Band, District of Lake Country and City of Kelowna announced agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will pave the way toward building important health, safety and infrastructure improvements, including completion of the Okanagan Rail Trail.
On November 14th Kelowna City Council heard from staff on accepting Lake Country septage for up to ten years. The agreement between the District of Lake Country and the City of Kelowna will allow additional time for the District to complete the Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) that will determine a permanent long-term solution to support our growing community. The rate structure has not yet been determined for Lake Country properties, as a result of the agreement with the City of Kelowna.
For more information on the challenges and solutions regarding Liquid Waste please take a few minutes to read through this project page.
November 15 - Castanet article
November 14 - Kelowna Daily Courier article
August 30, 2022
The District of Lake Country submitted the updated Stage 1-2 Report to the Province. Documents can be found under the Stage 1/2 Report - Submissions to the Province tab on this page.
June, 2022 Update
The Environmental Impact Study (EIS) was submitted to the Province on December 17, 2021. The Province provided a response on March 1, 2022. The project team is working to address comments provided by the Province and will determine the revised timelines shortly.
September 9, 2021 Update
The Stage 1/2 report was submitted to the Province - you can now read the report. The project team anticipates receiving comments from the Province in the coming months.
Check out the results of the survey - click on the June 22nd presentation given to the Advisory Committee or the June 15th presentation given to the Steering Committee. Both presentations give a summary of the 254 surveys received.
Survey has been closed (June 8th) thank you to the 254 community members who took the time to fill out the survey. The four winners randomly selected will receive a $100 Lake Country Home Hardware Gift Certificates are:
- Liz Ellison
- Jim MacMaster
- Linda Smith
- Donna Schreyer
Congratulations!
Liquid Waste Management in Lake Country:
Have you ever given much thought to what happens after you flush the toilet? Pour something down the sink? Where does all of it go? Who deals with it? To help explain the process check out “What Happens When You Flush – Poop 101.”
Liquid waste in the District of Lake Country is managed through a Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) that received Provincial approval in 1998. Storm water, septic systems, sewer collection and treatment are all addressed in a Liquid Waste Management Plan. As Lake Country grows, we need to continue to implement good solutions to serve an expanding population, care for the environment and protect public health.
Why do we need this project?
It's no secret that the District of Lake Country is one of the fastest growing communities in the Province. As new homes are added to the sewer system, capacity of the system becomes less and less, including the capacity of the ground to accept cleaned water. With 3,500 properties on the sewer system, the District is near maximum capacity and our soils will no longer be able to keep up with incoming flows. This means it's necessary to secure another option - soon!
Has work already been done to find a solution?
Over the last decade the District has been working on updating our Liquid Waste Management Plan. The District has undertaken numerous engineering and environmental studies and evaluations, in order to meet Provincial requirements. Now, as ground discharge is nearing maximum capacity, the District is looking for ministry approval for an alternate discharge option. Options that have been analyzed will be presented to the community in the coming weeks.
What are the timelines?
What's next?
This is where we need you - the community to get involved! Here's how:
1. Ask Questions:
- Take a look at the video "What Happens When You Flush - Poop 101", FAQ's and important dates. This page will be updated regularly so come back often. if you have questions or would like more detail on any part of the LWMP please ask below.
2. Apply to be on the LWMP Public Advisory Committee:
- As part of the LWMP the District will be putting together a public advisory committee. If you are interested in being part of the committee or finding out more information about the committee email Ruth Sulentich rsulentich@lakecountry.bc.ca. Applications will be accepted until April 1st.
3. Fill in the Survey:
- Your opinion matters - fill in the survey by June 8th, survey can be found below.