The average rainfall for the entire month of August landed on Toronto in a single 24-hour period on August 7, 2018. Heavy rainfall is known to cause sewage spills on the Toronto waterfront, so the Swim Drink Fish Monitoring Team went to Harbourfront on the morning of August 8, 2018. They found evidence of a major sewage spill that poses a threat to public and environmental health. This letter to the City of Toronto requests immediate cleanup of the sewage debris.

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August 9, 2018
City of Toronto
℅ Frank Quarisa Acting General Manager Toronto Water (Via email)
and 311 Toronto (Via Twitter)
Re: August 7 2018 Sewage Spill Cleanup Request
Dear Mr. Quarisa / City of Toronto,
As you know, the average rainfall for the entire month of August landed on Toronto in a single
24-hour period on August 7, 2018. Reports are that between 70 and 100 mm of rain fell (TRCA/
Toronto Star) on the city. Streets were flooded and the sewer system was overwhelmed.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper / Swim Drink Fish Canada has been documenting sewage pollution in
Toronto since 2001. In response to public demand for reliable, current water quality information,
we have been conducting regular monitoring of water quality in Toronto’s Inner Harbour at three
locations since 2016: Marina Four, Rees Street Slip, and Bathurst Quay. The results are published
to the Swim Guide (​www.theswimguide.org​) and on the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper website
(​www.waterkeeper.ca​).
Heavy rainfall is known to cause sewage spills on the Toronto waterfront, so the Swim Drink Fish
Monitoring Team went to Harbourfront on the morning of August 8, 2018. They found evidence of
a major sewage spill that poses a threat to public and environmental health.
We are writing to you today to inform you of our findings and to request immediate action.
As you know, we have consistently recommended that the City of Toronto communicate clear,
detailed information to the public about when and where sewage spills occur. The severity of this
week’s sewage spill requires swift action in order to minimize risks to public and environmental
health..
Much of the sewage debris remains in the Toronto Harbour. ​We ask that you arrange for
cleanup crews to remove the waste, condoms, needles, tampons, and other debris immediately.
Water quality in the Harbour is compromised.​ We ask that you issue a detailed public advisory
about Harbour water quality and test the water in popular water uses areas until bacteria levels
return to levels that meet Ontario’s Provincial Water Quality Objectives.
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2. Water Quality Problems
Between the hours of 9:30am and 11:30am on Wednesday August 8, 2018, Swim Drink Fish’s
Toronto Harbour Monitoring Team tested harbour water for coliform and ​E. coli​ bacteria in three
locations: Marina Four, Rees Street Slip / Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak, and Bathurst Quay.
The results of ​E. coli​ testing were the highest ever recorded by our monitoring team at Marina
Four: >24,196.0 ​E. coli ​/ 100 mL of water. The results from Marina 4 were at least 241 times higher
than the City of Toronto’s 100 ​E. coli​ / 100 mL guideline for recreational water quality and at least
24 times higher than Canada’s Recreational Water Quality Guidelines for boaters. Actual ​E. coli
levels at Marina Four may be much higher; the test values were outside the reportable range,
even though the highest dilution factor (1:10) was used.
The results were also amongst the highest ever recorded by our team at Bathurst Quay (13,488.8
E. coli​ / 100 mL) and at Rees Street Slip (790.2 ​E. coli​ / 100 mL).
August 8, 2018: Detailed Water Quality Monitoring Results ​(E. coli)
Figure 1. ​Water quality testing results for Inner Harbour locations August 8, 2018. Comparison
with municipal and provincial guidelines for recreational water use.
Marina 4 Rees St. Slip Bathurst Quay
Sample 1 >24,196.0 1,413.6 2,282.0
Sample 2 >24,196.0 579.9 7,701.0
Sample 3 >24,196.0 1,119.9 >24,196.0
Sample 4 >24,196.0 547.5 >24,196.0
Sample 5 >24,196.0 613.1 >24,196.0
Sample 6 >24,196.0 - >24,196.0
Geometric Mean >24,196.0 790.2 13,488.8
City of Toronto
Recreational Water Standard
100 ​E. coli​ / 100 mL of water
Canadian / Ontario
Recreational Water Quality
Guidelines
200 ​E. coli​ / 100 mL of water (primary contact i.e., swimming)
1,000 ​E. coli​ / 100 mL of water (secondary contact i.e., boating,
fishing)
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3. It took 4-7 days for water quality to return to normal levels the last time we collected water
samples after a rain event like this one. For that reason, we are concerned that water quality
issues may persist in the Toronto Harbour through the weekend when visits to Harbourfront
peak.
Sewage Debris
Field observations, photographs and video collected in the morning and afternoon of August 8,
2018 show a large amount of floating sewage debris in the water, including condoms, tampons
and tampon applicators, and sanitary napkins. Deceased animals, including birds and fish, were
also observed. Noticeable foul odour and discolouration of the water were noted down.
Field Observations Summary: Unnatural Colour, Turbidity, Odour, and Debris
● Visible grey-brown discolouration in the water and turbid ‘milky’ appearance
● Noticeable odour at Marina Four and Bathurst Quay sites
● Large amount of debris at all three sites - including floating sewage debris
August 8, 2018: Field Observations by Site
Marina Four:​ Green-brown colour of water, turbid appearance, strong sewage odour, surface
scum and sheen, large amount of garbage and sewage debris - including condoms, tampons,
tampon applicators, sanitary napkins. Appearance of disintegrated toilet paper throughout.
Rees Street Slip / Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak: ​Light green colour of water, cloudy
appearance, large amount of visible garbage and sewage debris - including condoms, tampons,
tampon applicators, and sanitary napkins. Deceased animals observed on water surface including
fish (carp) and waterfowl.
Bathurst Quay: ​Grey-brown colour of water, turbid appearance, strong sewage odour, surface
scum and sheen, significant amount of sewage debris and garbage - including condoms,
tampons, tampon applicators, and sanitary napkins.
Visits to those same locations in the morning of August 9, 2018 confirm that Rees Street Slip and
Bathurst Quay are still littered with sewage debris. Marina 4 has been cleaned up.
Active Recreational Water Use
On August 8, recreational water users - including 15-20 children - were seen paddling on the
water at the Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre at the Rees Street testing location. At least
one child was observed having primary contact with the water; the child had fallen in the water
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4. while paddling. Recreational water users were observed paddling and boating in the area again
on August 9, 2018.
The active use of the waterfront in the aftermath of a major sewage spill highlights the need for
immediate cleanup, monitoring, and public awareness actions.
The City of Toronto (311 Toronto) has issued information about wastewater treatment plant
bypasses caused by severe precipitation and a general wet weather advisory. However, there
have been no public advisories warning recreational users about combined sewer overflows in
the Inner Harbour. Visitors should be informed that contact with the water in the Inner Harbour in
the next few days exposes them to raw sewage and that precautions can help reduce exposure
to bacteria and waterborne illnesses.
Both the amount of visible sewage debris and the levels of ​E. coli​ bacteria significantly exceed
what the Monitoring Team has observed in previous years. The scale of this sewage spill
warrants immediate action to protect public health, water quality and habitat, and to restore the
aesthetics of this important tourist and recreational destination.
Historical Water Quality Findings
Swim Drink Fish began the Toronto Harbour Community Monitoring project in 2016 in order to
address the lake of water quality data in one of North America’s busiest recreational harbours, an
area that is currently unmonitored by any governmental agency.
In addition to collecting water samples, the Toronto Harbour Monitoring Team records
environmental observations at each site, including water temperature, colour, clarity, odour,
turbidity, and signs of pollution. To date, from 2016 - 2018, we have made 54 individual sampling
trips to the Inner Harbour. Each time the field team conducts sampling, 5-6 samples are collected
from each of the three locations and analyzed for ​E. coli​ and total coliform. The geometric mean
from those 5+ samples is then calculated for each of the locations.
Sewage debris, and other signs of sewage discharges, were observed routinely at Marina Four
and Bathurst Quay. Of the three locations, Marina Four had the most persistent visual signs of
sewage. Throughout the years of 2016 - 2017, there was no weeks where there wasn’t some
signs of sewage at this location. There is a combined sewer outfall at the northeast corner. There
were occasions where active flows of discharge were observed near this outfall.
The following table breaks down historical sampling results by date, with the corresponding
amount of rainfall within 24 hours.
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5. Figure 2.​ Past Inner Harbour water quality monitoring results under similar climate and observed
environmental conditions.
Results: ​E. coli ​per 100/mL of water
(Geomean of at least 5 samples)
Date Rainfall
(Past 24 Hours)
MARINA FOUR REES ST. SLIP BATHURST QUAY
Aug 8, 2018 69.7 mm > 24,196.0 ​* 790.2 13,488.8
Jul 23, 2018 15.4 mm 1959.4 631.8 10,407.5
Jul 17, 2018 8.0 mm 1334.8 181.1 > 24,196.0 *
Jun 28, 2018 7.8 mm 2326.0 122.0 7,611.2
Jul 21, 2017 16.0 mm 4357.8 1905.5 6742.1
May 26, 2017 44.6 mm > 2419.6 * 22.6 > 2419.6 *
Aug 17, 2016 12.2 mm 791.3 861.0 7007.4
* “Maxed out” samples - Maximum possible ​E. coli​ test value with dilution factor used.
Summary of Recommendations
1. Beginning immediately and continuing for the next 72 hours, the City of Toronto should
issue public advisories about surface water quality. Given the significance of this spill, the
existing generic 48-hour rainfall advisory is not sufficient to inform the public about the
issue. The advisory should include details about what to look for to identify sewage
pollution, specific risks and hazards, and clearly indicate that raw sewage may be present
in the water so that the public is fully informed.
2. The City of Toronto should make immediate arrangements for cleanup crews to remove
floating sewage debris in the Harbour in order to protect public health, environmental
quality, and aesthetics.
3. The City of Toronto should test Harbour water quality daily until water quality returns to
acceptable levels.
Thank you for your attention.
Mark Mattson
President & Waterkeeper
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6. Appendix 1
Site Map: Marina Four
Figure 3a. ​Water testing sites at the Marina Four location.
Marina Four
Water Quality Summary
Figure 3b. ​Summary of 2017 and 2018 (to date) water quality results at Marina Four.
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7.
Appendix 2
Site Map: Rees Street Slip
Figure 4a. ​Water testing sites at the Rees Street Slip / Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre
location.
Rees Street Slip
Water Quality Summary
Figure 4b. ​Summary of 2017 and 2018 (to date) water quality results at the Rees Street Slip.
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8. Appendix 3
Site Map: Bathurst Quay
Figure 5a. ​Water testing sites at the Bathurst Quay location.
Bathurst Quay
Water Quality Summary
Figure 5b. ​Summary of 2017 and 2018 (to date) water quality results at Bathurst Quay.
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9. Appendix 4
Field Observations: Marina Four - Aug 8, 2018
Marina Four:​ Green-brown colour of water, turbid appearance, strong sewage odour, surface
scum and sheen, large amount of garbage and sewage debris - including condoms, tampons,
tampon applicators, sanitary napkins. Appearance of disintegrated toilet paper throughout.
Photos: Marina Four - Aug 8, 2018
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15. Appendix 5
Field Observations: Rees Street Slip - Aug 8, 2018
Rees Street Slip / Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak: ​Light green colour of water, cloudy
appearance, large amount of visible garbage and sewage debris - including condoms, tampons,
tampon applicators, and sanitary napkins. Deceased animals observed on water surface including
fish (carp) and waterfowl.
Photos: Rees Street Slip - Aug 8, 2018
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17. Appendix 6
Field Observations: Bathurst Quay - Aug 8, 2018
Bathurst Quay: ​Grey-brown colour of water, turbid appearance, strong sewage odour, surface
scum and sheen, significant amount of sewage debris and garbage - including condoms,
tampons, tampon applicators, and sanitary napkins.
Photos: Bathurst Quay - Aug 8, 2018
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