Anmore strata hit with second warning over unauthorized sewage discharge

A large residential strata in Anmore has been warned by the provincial government after inspectors determined it discharged wastewater into the environment without the required authorization — the second warning in as many years.

In a Feb. 23 warning letter, the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy said Countryside Village’s sewage management facility on Sunnyside Road was found to be out of compliance with the province’s Environmental Management Act.

The inspection reviewed operations throughout 2025 and found the facility exceeded regulatory discharge thresholds on numerous occasions.

According to the ministry, wastewater flows from the septic system surpassed 22.7 cubic metres per day on 102 days during 2025 — roughly 28 percent of the year. Facilities that exceed that level must hold a provincial authorization to discharge effluent into the environment.

However, the ministry said the strata did not have a valid authorization or registration in place.

“Since Countryside Village caused or allowed waste produced by a prescribed activity or operation to be introduced into the environment, without a valid authorization, Countryside Village is out of compliance,” the letter stated.

The strata has applied for registration under the province’s Municipal Wastewater Regulation, but the application is still under review while officials assess additional information requested from the operator.

The province has ordered the strata to report within 30 days outlining what steps have been taken to restore compliance and prevent future violations. Failure to do so could lead to escalating enforcement action, including administrative penalties of up to $75,000. 

The warning adds to a history of similar violations at the site. Ministry records show Countryside Village previously received warnings for unauthorized discharges in 2018, 2019 and 2025.

Last year, inspectors issued the same warning after finding the strata had exceeding maximum daily flow limits more than 90 times throughout 2024.

Growing concerns about septic systems

The problems at Countryside Village are unfolding amid broader concerns about the reliance on septic systems across Anmore.

Another 35-home subdivision in Anmore, Crystal Creek Estates, was cited for 12 environmental infractions last June related to its septic system, including exceeding effluent limits, failing to submit required studies, emergency plans, and monitoring records.

Unlike most Metro Vancouver municipalities, the rural village has no connection to the regional sewer network, leaving most homes and strata developments dependent on either individual or communal septic systems. 

Mayor John McEwen previously told the Dispatch many of these systems are old or undersized for modern homes and fall largely outside municipal oversight.

“Septic systems used to make sense for Anmore, but today they’re fraught with issues and failings,” McEwen previously said, warning that a major failure could contaminate nearby waterways. 

Countryside Village, a 92-lot bare-land strata, was originally built as a mobile-home park before being redeveloped beginning in 2009, with many of the original units replaced by large single-family homes with multiple bathrooms. 

The shift toward larger houses has increased wastewater volumes, raising concerns about whether the original septic infrastructure can keep pace with the growing demand, according to McEwen, warning the pressures will only intensify as more lots are built out. 

He noted the Countryside Village’s sensitive location between Buntzen Lake and surrounding parkland.