The City has more than 150 km of storm sewers which collect rainfall from properties and streets. Hard surfaces such as building roofs and roads, rapidly transfers runoff to our streams which pollutes and stresses the ecosystem.
Metro Vancouver’s Liquid Waste Management Plan requires the City to introduce more holistic and integrated storm water management planning for its many watersheds to improve environmental values. We have adopted an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan to guide policy and decision making, and is currently working on plans for Mosquito Creek and Mackay Creek.
In addition to the Integrated Stormwater Management Plan, the City prohibits pollutants, such as oil, paint, sediment and concrete, from entering the drainage system under the City's Stream and Drainage System Protection Bylaw, 2003, No. 7541. One common pollutant to the stream and drainage system is sediment laden water, which can occur due to erosion when soils are exposed during construction. Developments are required to submit an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan to prevent the release of sediment laden water in the drainage system.