Municipal Water Use (1986)

2011-07-19 16:57:37 UTC

1986 - 87/10/07

MUNICIPAL (WATER) USE DATABASE (MUD)
The MUD database is designed to provide easy access to basic data on municipal
water and wastewater. The 1999 database(spreadsheet) currently contains water
and sewage systems information from Canadian municipalities with populations
over 1000. The total population of these municipalities is 25 million out of a total
1999 Statistics Canada Census population of 30 million. The database is now
"Up-N-Running", debugging and other tests have been completed.The data are
usually released as an Excel95 spreadsheet format, and can be sorted into a
variety of aggregations, including; Provincial, Regional, Hydrologic, population
size groups, and others.
Should you have any questions, or problems with this data, please contact:
Mr. David Burke
Policy Analyst
Sustainable Water Use Branch
Environment Canada
Ottawa, OntarioK1A 0H3
Tel.: (819) 934-2486
Fax: (819) 994-0237
E-mail: H2O@ec.gc.ca
1. General Information
All of the data have been entered on a "Municipality Specific" basis,
rather than on a "Plant Specific" basis.In other words, the database
quantifies the water actually used in each municipality, rather than the
more general water or sewage plant information.Some revision or
estimation procedures were used when municipalities utilised shared
systems.A primary advantage of this type of information is that all
municipalities will have independent data, and possible double counts
(within shared systems) will have been removed.
The information presented in this database (MUD) is rather general, and is
primarily aimed at the production of aggregate and summary statistics.
The basic types of data collected can be summarised as follows: Municipal
Population (six base years), Populations Served (water and sewer
systems), Average Daily Flows (water and treated sewage), Water User
Classes (four different classes),Water Source (Ground, Combined, or
Surface), Sewage Treatment type (Primary, Secondary etc.), and a field
summarising quantity or quality problems by year. A few specific
questions relating to such issues as water disinfection/treatment types,
maximum water flow, BOD5 discharge values, final effluent
disinfection/discharge, have been added in 1996.There is also a small
section with some basic plant information such as operating authority,
construction, and/or most recent renovation.The database is designed to
complement the Municipal Water Pricing database maintained by
Environment Canada.

2.Data Sources
There were three main sources of data for this database.Firstly, the basic
framework, and original raw data was provided from the 1986 MUNDAT
database.Secondarily, this data was corrected, revised, or updated on the
basis of supplemental information collected as the result of six water
pricing studies conducted by this department.These studies (in 1983,
1986, 1989, 1991, 1994, and 1996) have now directly contacted all
municipalities with populations in excess of 1000.The 1999 study was
very successful, with about 87 percent of the municipalities being revised.
The third data source was a series of phone calls, in order to resolve any
problems with the earlier data sources, and to collect data for new
municipalities, municipal annexations, major non-respondents, and for
some municipalities with major boundary changes.
The information presented in the database can be considered as current to
December 31, 1999.Although the database is not designed for time series
analysis, the previous data have been retained as separate and independent
files.A future municipal water pricing study is proposed for 2002, all
information from this, or any other municipal water use studies will be
used to further revise and expand this database.
3.Definitions
The definitions and basic data parameters for each column of the standard
spreadsheet are presented below in a "Column/Name Criteria" format:
A. Hydrometric Area - as defined by Environment Canada, Water
Survey of Canada. (alpha-numeric/ hierarchical)
B.1991 Standard Geographic Code - as defined by Statistics Canada.
Seven digit; Province = first two digits:
10 = Newfoundland
11 = Prince Edward Island
12 = Nova Scotia
13 = New Brunswick
24 = Quebec
35 = Ontario
46 = Manitoba
47 = Saskatchewan
48 = Alberta
59 = British Columbia 60 = Yukon
61 = North West Territories,
Census Division (3digit), Subdivision (3digit).
C. Municipality - as listed by Statistics Canada.The population
cut-off is at 1000. (Individual municipal water/wastewater systems
within municipal areas are entered if they serve more than 200
people.)Most rural areas such as, Townships or Parishes are not
included.(Exception to preceding; some parts of Census
Metropolitan Areas (CMA's), or Census Agglomerations (CA's)
with populations in excess of 1000 are included, see note at end.)
When a municipal population has fallen below 1000, the municipal
name is enclosed in brackets for one survey update. In some cases
old municipal names (in brackets) may follow new names to
reduce confusion. In the municipal water pricing database, separate
area names (in brackets) identify areas within municipalities with
differing water rates. The database does not list unincorporated
areas as municipalities.
D. Date Revised, most recent revision.
E. Present Population - from the municipality, may not agree with the
most recent census.
F. C.M.A., C.A. Codes - Census Metropolitan, or Census
Agglomeration area codes, as defined by Statistic Canada.
G.Size Group Code - groups are:1, (less than 1000 population), 2,
population 1000-1999, 3, population 2000-4999, 4, population
5000-49999, 5, population 50000-499999, and, 6, population
500000 plus. (A few “declining”municipalities with populations
less than 1000 are retained as size group “1" in the interest of
consistency across survey years).
H.1996 population - from Statistics Canada Census.
I. 1991 population - as above.
J. 1986 population - as above.
K. 1981 Population - as above.
L. 1976 Population - as above.
M. 1971 Population - as above.
N. Population Served, Water - population in the municipality served
by any water system.Does not include population external to the
municipality.Does not include private individual groundwater
supplies.
O. Population Served, Sewers - population in the municipality served
by any sewer system.Does not include population external to the
municipality.(In Northern Canada, includes municipal pumpouts.)
P. Population Served, SewageTreatment - population in the
municipality served by any type of sewage treatment.Does not
include population external to the municipality.Does not include
private individual septic tanks, and/or tile fields. Q. Average Daily
Flow (A.D.F.) Water - in the municipality from all
sources, in cubic metres per day.Does not include water provided
to other municipalities.
R.Maximum Daily Flow (M.D.F.) Water - non additive value of the
flow on the maximum day. In cubic metres. In the case of a
municipality supplying water to other areas, this is the total for all
areas. The actual day will also vary for different municipalities.
Non-additive for these two reasons. New in 1996 survey.
S. Average Daily Flow (A.D.F.) Treated Sewage - includes only the
sewage from the municipality.In cubic metres per day.Includes
only the volume of sewage which receives treatment.Due to the
difficulties of sewage metering, and a general lack of volume detail
on the part of some municipalities, this value has been estimated in
some cases.
T. Degree of domestic water metering, as a percentage of the
population served. (N.A. means not applicable, there is no
municipal water system.)
U.Water Use, Domestic - a municipal estimate of the total A.D.F.
used for domestic purposes.In cubic metres per day.
V.Water Use, Commercial & Institutional - as above.
W. Water Use, Industrial - as above.
X. Water Use, Other - as above.Includes system losses, and
unaccounted.In earlier surveys, includes all flows from
municipalities that were unable to estimate the preceding user
classes. Note, this value is believed to be often under-reported.
Y. Groundwater Only - the population in the municipality, which is
served exclusively by municipal groundwater (wells) system(s).
Does not include private individual wells.
Z. Combined Surface & Groundwater - as above, but includes some
surface (lake, river, etc.) supplyalso feeding into the municipal
system.(All remaining serviced population is thus serviced
exclusively by surface sources.). See also Note 2 at end.
AA. Groundwater Only, A.D.F.The Average Daily Flow for the
"Groundwater Only" criteria above.
AB. Combined Surface and Groundwater, A.D.F.As above.
AC. Population With No Sewage Treatment - all population in the
municipality without any servicing by a sewage treatment plant
(STP).
AD. Primary - all population in the municipality served only by any
form of mechanical sewagetreatment. Does not double count
population served by more advanced methods.
AE. Waste Stabilisation Ponds - all population in the municipality
served only by W.S.P.'s (also called “lagoons”).This treatment
type can achieve treatment levels equal to the following
"Secondary" treatment level, however there is no double counting
between the two levels. AF. Secondary - All population in the municipality served only by
biological sewage treatment.An assumption is made that any
secondary STP is actually operating at a higher level of pollution
reduction than a primary STP. The "Primary and Tertiary"
combined type of STP is usually counted as secondary.Municipal
septic tanks are assumed to be operating correctly, and providing a
secondary level of service.
AG. Tertiary - All population in the municipality served only by some
form of sewage treatment providing a higher level of treatment
than secondary.Usually includes effluent polishing, phosphate
removal, and sometimes spray irrigation.Does not double count
population in the preceding columns.
AH. Rural Population Served, Water.The population in nearby nonsurveyed
areas served by the municipal water system(s).This
value is "rural" population, and isnot included anywhere else in
the database. (1996: The Canada total is 227,727 or +0.9% of the
database population).
AI. Rural Population Served, Sewers.Same criteria as above,except
the data applies to the municipal sewer system(s). (1996: 70,299,
0.3%).
AJ. Rural Population Served, Sewage Treatment.As above, except the
data applies to the municipal sewage treatment plant(s). (1996:
87,954, +0.3%).
AK. Problems, Water Quantity.The range of years (i.e. '94-'96) during
which the municipality has experienced supply quantity problems.
AL. Problems, Water Quantity.As above, except lists the number of
years.
AM. Problems, Water Quality.Therange of years during which the
municipality has experienced water supply quality problems.
AN. Problems, Water Quality.As above, except lists the number of
years.
AO. Notes.Most of these relate to the “problems” in columns AK, and
AL.
AP. Use Restrictions, number of days in the survey data year when the
municipality imposed water quantity restrictions.
AQ. Boil Days, as above, quality restrictions.
AR-AW.
Effluent Disinfection, “Y”es answers to type of sewage
disinfection after the sewage treatment stage.Possibilities are;
none, chlorinating, dechlorination, ozone, ultraviolet , or other.
AX-BC.
BOD5 removal rate (%), and BOD5 30 day effluent average (mg/l)
for largest three sewage treatment plants. New in 1996 survey.
BD-BF.
Effluent discharge, “Y”es answers to freshwater, marine , or other.
In rare cases, two types are possible. (“Ground infiltration” entered
as “freshwater and other”, “tidal river/estuary” entered as “marine
and other”.) New in 1996.
BG-BM
Water Disinfection, “Y”es answers to type(s) of water disinfection.
Possibilities are; none, chlorination, chloramination, chlorine
dioxide, ozone, ultraviolet, or other. Question has been simplified
since 1994.
BN. Alum, “Y”es or ”N”o answer to use of aluminium base coagulant
in water treatment.
BO. Fluoridation - as above, fluoride addition.
BP. Fl. Raw - Fluoride concentration (PPM) in raw water. Not revised
in 1996 or 1999.
BQ. Fl. Treated - as above, treated water. Not revised in 1996.
BR. Frequency, number of times per year the fluoride is monitored. Not
revised in 1996 or 1999.
BS. Fl. Start, date, year/month fluoride started. Not revised in 1996 or
1999.
BT. Fl. End -as above, fluoride ended. Not revised in 1996 or 1999.
BU. Hi. Nat. Fl., municipalities which reported a requirement to reduce
the fluoride in raw water.There were no responses to this question
in 1994. Not revised in 1996 or 1999.
BV-CN
“Y”es answers to a variety of water treatment types.Types are:
none, pre-treatment by micro straining, flocculation and
coagulation,sedimentation, flotation, slow sand filtration (not
revised in 1996), rapid sand (dual/multi media) filtration (not
revised in 1996), sand filtration (includes previous two categories),
activated carbon (T.&O.), pH correction, corrosion control, iron or
manganese removal, pressure filtration (not revised in 1996),
biological active filtration (not revised in 1996), membrane
filtration (not revised in 1996), ion exchange (not revised in 1996),
sequestering(not revised in 1996, usually same as iron or
manganese removal), taste and odour (not revised in 1996, usually
the same as activated carbon), and, other. Note, some of the
preceding have changed in order of presentation since 1994.
CO. First Water Treatment Plant.The reporting authority for the
largest (in terms of A.D.F.) municipal water treatment plant.Can
be "SELF" (own municipality),an "S.G.C." (of an other
municipality), "NONE".In the case of multiple plants, the first
three letters of the plant name are used. Thus “SELF-MAI”(n), and
“SELF-OTH”(er).
CP. Year Built, expressed as a calendar year, earliest possible entry is
'01.
CQ. Last Renovation, expressed asa calendar year, for last major
renovation. CR-DF.
A series of repetitive columnssimilar to the preceding three
columns for the "First Sewage Treatment Plant", "Second Water
Treatment Plant" etc.A maximum of three water and sewage
plants is possible for each municipality.
DG Use restrictions, number of days in 1998 when the municipality
imposed water restrictions.
DH Boil days, as above.
DI-DJ.
Latitude and Longitude for each municipality. Source is usually
“Gazetteer of Canada”.
4. Supplemental notes to the 1999 update
1.It has always been the intention of this database to cover all areas
where there are, or could possiblybe municipal water or wastewater
services. The 1999 database surveys municipalities with a total
population of 25.0 million, of which 23.1 million are served by
municipal water systems. The 1996 Canadian Census conducted by
Statistics Canada showed an urban population of 22.5 million with 24.7
million included in the 1996 MUD Survey. About 20 to 25% of the
Canadian population lives in rural surroundings, much of which is
unlikely to ever be provided with municipal piped services. The actual
legal definitions of “City”, “Village”, “Town” etc. are set by each
province, and in some cases maycontain what would otherwise be
called “rural” population. The selection of areas for the database has
always assumed that where there is a legal incorporation of a municipal
area, then there is also some sort of administration, and at least the
possibility of municipal services. This is not always so.
2.The database has also included components ofStatistics Canada’s
“Census Metropolitan”, and “Census Agglomeration” areas (if over
1000 population) as these areas are close to major municipal systems,
and might logically be expected to be serviced. Since one of the major
definitions ofC.M.A.’s, or C.A.’s is based upon percentage of people
working (i.e., commuting) in the central area, large areas which would
otherwise be considered as “rural” have also been included in the MUD
database.
3.In order to improve the database definition of “urban”, all of the
preceding possibly rural areas were compared with Statistics Canada
data under the following criteria. If the area had over 5000 population it
was retained, or, was discarded if the population density was less than
30 per square kilometre AND the area had historically never had more
than 1000 population served by water or sewer services. In 1996, this
correction resulted in the deletion of 66 “municipalities” which
provided water services to about 9000 population in total. About 5,500
of this population appears in the “rural population” column (AH), so the
actual loss of data is for about 3500 people out of a total of
22,300,000 served by water services.
4.The question regarding “combined surface and groundwater systems”
was improved by asking for the percentage of each. When this could be
answered, the proportion of groundwater was entered as groundwater
only. It is believed that this is a more accurate measure of groundwater
use. The effect of this revision is to move about 1,100,000 people out
of the “combined” category, of which about 600,000 appear in the
groundwater category in 1996.
5.In a few cases the sewage categories were adjusted on the basis of
BOD5 information first asked for in 1996. This change is believed to
have had minimal effects.
6.Aboriginal population. In many cases during the 1991 Statistics Canada
Census, access was not available, or enumeration was incomplete of
residents of various aboriginal communities. This deficiency was
mostly corrected in the 1996 Census. The MUD database has not
surveyed aboriginal communities in the past. (Prior to 1991, there were
few aboriginal communities over 1000 population.) Aboriginal
population resident in surveyed areas, as well as those served by
neighbouring municipalities (as “rural population”, column AH) is
included in the database. A review of the 1996 Census Data indicated
that there were 60 aboriginal communities in Canada, with populations
of over 1000. Many of these would meet the definitions above for
inclusion in the database. This is a significant data gap, and will be
investigated.
5. Summary

The database is designed to provide basic municipal water and wastewater
statistics, in commonly used aggregations such as Provinces, population
size ranges, basic types of systems etc.Up to 200 requests a year are
received by this department for this type of information from a wide
variety of sources including othergovernment agencies, academia, and
market research, as well as others.Many other data sortings or
aggregations may be possible.

CMA CA CODE = Census Metroplitan or Census AgglomerationArea Codes
A.D.F. = Average Daily Flow
CUM = Cubic metres
TR. SEWAGE = Treated sewage
DOM. = DOMESTIC
SURF. & GR. = Surface and Groundwater
pH CORR = pH Correction
USE REST. = Use Restiction

91 STANDARD GEOGRAPHIC CODE* : First two digits denote province.10 = NFLD, 11 = PEI, 12 = NS, 13 = NB, 24 = QC, 35 = ON, 46 = MB, 47 = SK, 48 = AB, 59 = BC, 60 = YK, 61 = NWT

MUNICIPAL WATER USE & PRICING DATA, ALL MUNICIPALITIES WITH POPULATION > 1000.
1998 DATA FOR ALL CANADA. 1999 SURVEY.
SORTED BY: STANDARD GEOGRAPHIC CODE.

(source: http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=ED0E12D7-1)

David Burke

H2O@ec.gc.ca

1971, 1971 pop, 1976, 1976 pop, 1981, 1981 pop, 1986, adf, adf tr sewage, adf water, adfc, adfc dom 1986, area, ca, categorical, cma, cma ca code, code, combined, combined surf&gr, comm/instit, comm/instit use, date, dom, fid, geo, ground, ground only, group, hydrometric, hydrometric area, industrial, industrial use, latitude, longitude, municipality, no, only, other, other use, ponds, pop, pop no sew tr, pop served sewage tr, pop served sewers, present, present pop, primary, psw, psw 1986, secondary, served, sew, sewage, sewers, size, size group code, stab, stand, stand geo code, surf&gr, tertiary, tr, use, waste, waste stab ponds, water

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