MONTREAL – Mayor Denis Coderre is backing a very controversial decision made by his administration to dump eight billion litres of untreated waste water into the Saint-Lawrence River.
At a press conference Monday afternoon, Coderre said “we don’t have a choice.”
The dump is the equivalent of 2,600 Olympic sized swimming pools, but represents less than one per cent of all untreated sewage going into the river, according to city officials.
Coderre insisted Montrealers and others who rely on the Saint-Lawrence for their drinking water have nothing to fear.
“No drinking water will be touched,” Coderre told reporters.
The city announced last Friday the untreated waste water will start pouring into the river on October 18 and will last one week – despite reservations from Environment Canada.
READ MORE: Montreal to dump 8 billion litres of raw sewage into Saint-Lawrence River
An online petition has already gathered more than 58,000 signatures calling for a stop to the dump.
New York state Senator Patty Ritchie even wrote to the International Joint Commission calling for an investigation.
“I am very concerned by the precedent Montreal is setting for other communities along the Saint-Lawrence and the lakes,” Ritchie wrote.
But non of this is phasing Montreal’s administration.
“Well, the state senator should take care of her own city and take a look what’s going on in New York. Factually, can you prove to me you don’t have that kind of situation declared right now in New York?” the mayor asked rhetorically.
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