Report a Spill

Report all spills immediately

We provide 24-hour emergency response to environmental spills. When a spill occurs, follow your spills response plan and report all spills immediately.

Contact the Region of Waterloo at 519-650-8200; Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608

Provide:

Name of company or individual responsible
Location of the spill
Your name and phone number
Time of the spill
Type and quantity of material discharged and any associated hazards
Status, including corrective actions being taken to control the spill

Where applicable, notify the Ministry's Spills Action Centre: 1-800-268-6060; Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 1-855-889-5775.

Responding to a spill

Follow your spills response plan
Notify the Region of Waterloo at 519-650-8200
Notify the Ministry's Spills Action Centre (where applicable) at 1-800-268-6060
Ensure public safety
Mitigate the impact of the spill
Cleanup the site to pre-spill conditions
Provide the necessary information to the Region of Waterloo Environmental Enforcement group and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Investigate and implement a corrective/preventative action plan, as directed

Region of Waterloo responsibilities include:

prompt investigation of reported spills
containment or cleanup measures to minimize damage to the natural environment
notifying affected parties if a chemical spill could affect the Region of Waterloo Mannheim and/or Brantford drinking water treatment plants

What is a spill

A discharge into the natural environment, from or out of a structure, vehicle, or other container. It is abnormal in quality or quantity in light of all the circumstances of the discharge. Examples of pollutants include:

Oil and gasoline
Chemicals, paint, and concrete
Liquid industrial/hazardous waste, sewage, food, or manure
Chlorinated pool water

Spill enforcement

Under the Region of Waterloo Sewer Use By-law 21-036, Environmental Officers are now authorized to issue Orders, tickets or even a summons to appear in court, to anyone found dumping or discharging harmful materials into the sanitary or storm sewer system.