WWFMP - Going for the flow
What’s it all about?
Toronto’s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan (WWFMP) is a long-term plan to protect our environment and sustain healthy rivers, streams and other water bodies. And it’s about reducing the adverse effects of wet weather flow, which is runoff generated when it rains or snows. (Think of runoff as stormwater.)
In a natural setting where there’s a lot of grass or vegetation, stormwater isn’t usually a problem because the rain filters into the ground. But we live in a modern city where there’s a lot of concrete, asphalt, brick, and this changes the way water travels and what it picks up along the way to the sewer.
This means that, in our city, a lot of stormwater runs off roofs, roads and parking lots. It trickles down through drain pipes and empties into stormwater grates. Once it enters the grate (having collected dirt, oil, grease and a lot of other pollutants along the way), it travels through our extensive storm sewer system - 4,500 km in all - to some 2,600 outfalls or outlet pipes. In some cases, stormwater mixes with wastewater in the combined sewers or infiltrates into sanitary sewers. This causes the wastewater system and the City’s sewage treatment plants to be overloaded and untreated water enters our rivers, streams and Lake Ontario.
The result: degraded water quality conditions from an environmental and physical perspective. We’re talking about stream bank erosion, loss of fish habitat and basement flooding. It even affects our beaches.
To reverse these effects, the WWFMP sets out to accomplish 13 objectives under four major categories:
- water quality
- water quantity
- natural areas and wildlife
- sewer systems
What is the 25-Year Plan?
To achieve these objectives, we’ve developed a 25-Year Plan which outlines programs and projects that, together, provide a solution for stormwater pollution. A key component is raising public awareness about the issue. Raising awareness means encouraging participation by Toronto’s residents in some of our community-based programs which will help deal with stormwater pollution. One such program is downspout disconnection.
Have a look at what’s on the books for the next 25 years!
What are the benefits of the plan?
- Clean waterfront beaches that are healthy for swimming
- Eliminating discharges from combined sewer overflows
- Basement flooding protection
- Protecting City infrastructure from stream erosion
- Restoring degraded local streams
- Improving stream water quality
- Reducing algae growth along the waterfronts and in streams
- Restoring aquatic habitat
Show me the difference!
Have a look at what the present day effects of pollution are doing to Toronto’s waterfront during a typical summer storm vs. what the waterfront will look like when the benefits of Toronto’s WWFMP kick in.
- View video in a new window
The total capital cost for the 25-Year Plan is approximately $1.047 billion or $42 million per year. Operational and maintenance costs to implement the capital projects is an estimated $16 million annually.