Developers in the Shuswap will have to look for new ways to handle effluent.

With a new bylaw and Ministry of Environment support, Columbia Shuswap Regional District directors are putting a permanent prohibition on the discharge of treated waste in place.

Under the bylaw, approved unanimously at last week’s board meeting, “no person other than the regional district or a municipality will construct, install or cause or allow to be constructed or installed a private sewerage system that will discharge effluent into surface water.”

Directors at the June 25 meeting were brought up to speed on the issues surrounding a temporary prohibition put in place in 2005 by provincial cabinet decree. That temporary prohibition ends Nov. 1 and the province has been clear it will not grant another extension.

The temporary prohibition was put in place in order to give the regional district time to complete liquid waste management plans, official community plans and associated bylaws.

Through the process of creating liquid waste management plans in electoral areas C South Shuswap, F North Shuswap, Seymour Arm and E Rural Sicamous, CSRD heard strong public opposition to the discharge of treated effluent to lakes from private sources.

The Lake Discharge Prohibition Bylaw will prevent private sewage systems from discharging human excreta and waterborne waste from the preparation and consumption of food and drink, dishwashing, bathing, showering, cleansing and laundering into lakes, rivers, creeks, springs, ravines, streams, swamps, gulches or brooks, including Shuswap, Mara and White lakes.

Ministry of Environment officials in the Kamloops regional office will recommend the province include the permanent prohibition in the Municipal Sewerage Regulation.

The CSRD bylaw will be sent to MOE, confirming the board’s strong support for the proposed permanent lake discharge prohibition in the sewerage regulation.

In accordance with public health bylaws, a copy of the bylaw will be sent to the Ministry of Health Services.