Toronto's Wastewater treatment plants
Where does the water you flush down the toilet, drain or shower go?
This "used" water, called wastewater, travels through a series of underground pipes that make up the city's sewer system – stretching for about 9,000 kilometres – to one of four wastewater treatment plants. Treating wastewater is a process of cleaning it to remove solids, chemicals and other undesirable material before it is pumped to Lake Ontario.
Four wastewater treatment plants
- Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Highland Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Humber Wastewater Treatment Plant
- North Toronto Wastewater Treatment Plant
Each plant is designed to deliver this essential service to the community in a reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sound manner. Toronto's water treatment process ensures that the water produced meets or exceeds all standards set by the provincial and federal environment ministries. Superior water quality is achieved through a series of physical and chemical processes.
Water services
Toronto Water maintains 358 kilomentres/222 miles of trunk collector sewer and eight pumping stations. Three of the Division's units play a major role in delivering water and wastewater services to customers, both residential and business.
- Industrial Waste Control handles industrial discharges.
- District Operations manages the ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation and repair of the sewer system.
- Toronto Water Laboratory provides analysis to maintain high water quality standards.
Toronto Water's funding comes from water sales and services to the community and from industrial surcharge agreements.
Wastewater treatment plants annual reports
Comprehensive annual reports for all four of Toronto's Water wastewater all plants. These reports review the operational details, capital projects, maintenance history and costs for each plant.