The objective of this audit was to determine if Toronto Water’s inspection and enforcement activities, including mandatory pollution prevention planning, are effective in ensuring businesses meet the requirements of the City’s Sewer Use By-law (Municipal Code Chapter 681 – Sewers).
Our review identified improvements to inspection and enforcement activities and pollution prevention planning. Due to limited staff resources, Toronto Water appropriately follows a risk management approach where the focus is on those businesses with a high risk to pollute. As part of our review, we also identified that some businesses that received the reduced water rate available for high volume water users that were not in compliance with the Sewer Use By-law are therefore, not eligible for the reduction.
The implementation of the recommendations will assist in improving the effectiveness of the Division.