City Responds to Wastewater Compliance Inspection Report

April 13, 2026

The City of Fernie submitted a formal response late last week to the Province of British Columbia regarding a provincial inspection of Fernie’s wastewater system and the resulting Compliance Inspection Report.

The report is being referred for administrative penalty related to the City’s wastewater permit. A referral for administrative penalties is part of a provincial regulatory process and is not a final decision or the issuance of a penalty. The City’s file is currently under review by a Provincial Statutory Decision Maker, and we are awaiting receipt of a notice outlining a penalty amount and providing an opportunity to submit information, context, and evidence of actions taken before the Province determines next steps.

In our response to the Compliance Inspection Report, the City has outlined actions already underway to address the inspection findings including:

  • The City is continuing to work with Ministry of Environment staff to address differences between what the current permit allows and what is actually built on site. The main focus is moving toward registration under the Municipal Wastewater Regulation (MWR), which would formally approve existing infrastructure and any new upgrades needed to meet today’s treatment standards.
  • To address known issues and bring the system into full compliance, the City has focused significant staff time and invested approximately $860,000 over the past three years in environmental studies, system monitoring, and engineering design. This work supports long‑term wastewater improvements and was included in the City’s application under the MWR  submitted in October 2025.
  • The City has hired experienced and qualified engineering consultants to help navigate the regulatory process, has spoken with other local governments to learn from their experience, and has worked diligently to meet timelines set by the Ministry of Environment.
  • We are in the process of procuring improved flow monitoring equipment and continue working toward meeting effluent quality requirements. Regular monitoring and ongoing operational checks help assess compliance and guide adjustments to plant operations. When appropriate, additional monitoring and sampling are carried out to better understand potential issues, identify corrective actions, and confirm when conditions have returned to compliance.
  • We have provided additional sample results that were missing from the initial review. In one instance, sampling could not be completed due to hazardous winter conditions at the outfall location.
  • The City has strengthened its internal processes for reviewing and submitting monitoring data to the Ministry to improve accuracy, consistency, and timeliness.

 

Protecting public health and the environment remains the City’s top priority. Extreme rainfall and atmospheric river events, linked to climate change, have increased pressure on wastewater systems across the province, including in Fernie. During these events, the City takes reasonable and necessary measures to minimize environmental impacts and protect critical infrastructure, while maintaining transparent and timely communication with provincial regulators and the public.

The City is also advancing education and long‑term planning initiatives, including work to reduce stormwater entering the wastewater system through updated modelling, infrastructure planning, and a community education program focused on inflow and infiltration.

Background reports and wastewater renewal project updates are available at
letstalk.fernie.ca/wastewater‑renewal.