PRESS RELEASE
FOR BROADCAST AT 7AM ON OCTOBER 26, 2023
Montreal, October 26, 2023 – The Fondation Rivières makes public the ranking of municipalities regarding the intensity of their wastewater discharges discharged without treatment into the lakes and rivers of Quebec. The province experienced 57,263 spills in 2022, beyond the 36,391 spills noted in 2021, a year in which there was exceptionally little precipitation. However, we observe a slight improvement over the period covered by the ranking (2017 to 2022) for all administrative regions, with the exception of Montreal and the Laurentians.
Among the 10 largest cities in the province, Trois-Rivières, Longueuil and Terrebonne respectively show the best improvements for the 2017-2022 period. Among all cities and municipalities, the best improvements go to Plessisville, Beauharnois and Sainte-Marie. In contrast, Thetford Mines, La Tuque and Lacolle show the most significant degradation.
High spill intensity in Montérégie
Despite a slight improvement, Montérégie is the region with the highest spill intensity since 2017, up to six times greater than Montreal in 2022. The intensity tends to increase particularly in the La Prairie basin (which includes La Prairie, Delson, Candiac, Saint-Constant, Sainte-Catherine), Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville and Châteauguay. La Prairie has shown boldness by imposing a moratorium on real estate development on its territory to limit the pressure on its network, and is seeking long-term solutions, an example of sound environmental management. With climate change, extreme precipitation will add pressure on sewer networks, increasing the phenomenon of spills.
Spills measured blindly without sanction
Still too many municipalities have not upgraded their structures with an electronic overflow recorder (EED) as prescribed by the Regulation respecting municipal wastewater treatment works, in force since 2014. Result: little is known about the actual durations of spills, which makes the picture of the situation incomplete and impossible to adequately correct. The Ministry of the Environment (MELCCFP) has to date imposed only six sanctions on the 194 cities and municipalities in violation, according to the Register of Administrative Monetary Sanctions.
Quebec does not currently have an overall objective for reducing wastewater discharges. The MELCCFP asks municipalities not to increase the number beyond that of 2013 and even grants them until 2030 to do so.
Impacts of spills
Sewage spills pose a threat to aquatic species and, more broadly, to biodiversity. Spills can harm aquatic species by exposing them to microbes and depriving them of oxygen. They affect drinking water intakes and increase the treatment bill if the drinking water intakes are located near the discharges. Due to the risks of exposure to the bacteria E.coli present in wastewater, spills also limit swimming and water activities.
About the Spill Intensity Index
The ranking is based on MELCCFP data available since 2017. The spill intensity index per inhabitant was developed by Fondation Rivières. This is an indicator that takes into account the duration of spills and the size of the overflowing structure. This year, a spill duration of 24 hours was applied for each event occurring in a structure not provided with an EED.
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Source
Sophie Lachance
Communications and Mobilization Manager
Fondation Rivières
514-272-2666, ext. 307
