Proposed national wastewater standards for Canadian municipalities were released by the federal government yesterday, providing another push toward secondary sewage treatment for Greater Victoria.

"We are taking action to protect our environment for future generations," said Environment Minister Jim Prentice.

"It is not acceptable that we continue discharging untreated waste into our waterways."

The B.C. government has already ordered Greater Victoria to treat wastewater currently pumped into the ocean after screening.

Now the federal government has weighed in with its own regulations, about six years in the making.

Canadian municipalities will no longer be permitted to directly release raw sewage into waterways under the new rules, according to the environment minister.

Planned secondary treatment in the Capital Regional District is expected to meet the federal standards.

"These are national standards, we all must comply... no exceptions," said Judy Brownoff, chairwoman of the CRD's Core Area Liquid Waste Management committee.

The total suspended solids pouring from outfalls at Clover Point, in Victoria, and Macaulay Point, in Esquimalt, are currently three times the proposed national concentration standards, according to the CRD.

Those opposed to sewage treatment, however, argue the levels are acceptable if measured beyond the outfall, farther out into the ocean.

Brownoff maintains Victoria's wastewater effluent levels are considered high risk in some areas and exemptions to the standards, at least in Victoria, won't be accepted by the federal government.

She suggested those against sewage treatment are fighting a losing battle.

Instead, attention should be focused on pressuring the federal and provincial governments to produce their respective one-third contributions for the estimated $967.5-million project, Brownoff said. Greater Victoria taxpayers are expected to foot the final third of the bill.

In the fall, CRD sewage committee representatives ballparked the annual cost per average home at between $250 and $450.

The CRD plan is to start building sewage-treatment plants this year and have treatment in place by 2016.

If passed by Parliament following public consultation this year, the federal regulations will require Victoria to have sewage treatment by 2020.

ceharnett@tc.canwest.com