Sewer

The City of Mission operates a collection and trunk main sewerage system serving the urbanized areas of Mission. Most of the properties without municipal sewer service use ground disposal systems (septic tanks), however there are a small number of properties which employ holding tank systems.

Sanitary Sewer versus Storm Sewer

The sanitary sewer system, typically referred to as the “sewer system”, collects and disposes of waste and fluids from the internal plumbing system (toilets, shower, bath, laundry, sinks etc) of homes or other type of buildings. The storm sewer system, typically referred to as the “drainage system”, collects and disposes of the water from outside of the buildings (roof down spouts, foundation drains, driveways, lawns etc.). The City of Mission operates both a sanitary sewer system and a separate storm sewer system. Some communities operate only a single sewer system (often referred to as a combined sewer system) where both internal and external fluids are collected and disposed of via a single sewer main system.

See Storm Sewer System for further information.

Mission Sanitary Sewer System

The sewer system services 26,000 of the total 35,000 residents living in the City of Mission via 135 kilometers of sewer mains. The majority of the sewer system is gravity with 8 sewage pump stations located in areas where gravity service is not practical. All sewer mains flow to a point just down stream of the Mission Bridge at the Fraser River where a sewer trunk main laid along the bottom of the Fraser River carries the sewage to the JAMES sewage treatment plant, which treats sewage from both the Mission and Abbotsford communities.

Connection and/or Disconnection of Services

Source Control

The purpose of the Abbotsford/Mission Water & Sewer Commission Source Control Program (SCP) is to reduce the amounts of contaminants that industries, businesses, institutions and households discharge into the sanitary sewer systems. These discharges may contain significant quantities of contaminants and other substances that can affect the collection and treatment system as well as the health of workers, the public, and the aquatic environment. Some contaminates will be removed in the solids and end up in the bio-solids, a condition that can restrict the beneficial use or result in costly remediation and recycling efforts. The efficiency of the treatment and its costs are closely related to the quantity and quality of the wastewater treated. Consequently, an effective source control program is an economical and sustainable means of managing wastewater treatment.

See Source Control for further information