A spill from TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline could contaminate Ottawa’s drinking water, according to a new study commissioned and released by the advocacy groups Council of Canadians and Ecology Ottawa.
The pipeline, proposed to the National Energy Board in 2013, would cross the Mississippi River near Pakenham and the Rideau River south of central Ottawa.
Conducted by Montreal-based Savaria Experts-Conseils, the study compares the environmental impacts of various pipeline spills and the reaction time of companies to these incidents between 2006 and 2016.
The study looks at two scenarios for oil spills that could result from the pipeline break near Ottawa region. The researchers determined that more than one million litres of oil could be spilled in the event of the pipeline breaking along the Mississippi River or the Rideau River watersheds.
Spilled oil from the Mississippi River would potentially reach Ottawa and Gatineau’s main drinking water treatment plants located along the Ottawa River in 60 hours, according to the study. TransCanada states on its website that the company “has conducted a number of environmental assessment studies which included analyzing bodies of water along the pipeline route.” The company said “protection of water resources is of utmost importance” and it works closely with first responders to maintain extra precaution around bodies of water.
Daniel Cayley-Daoust, energy campaigner for the Ottawa-based Council of Canadians, said his organization wanted to have a closer look at the potential impacts of the pipeline on major waterways connected to the Ottawa River.
“I know that TransCanada has been approaching a lot of cities, municipalities, towns, and counties to try to get their support for the pipeline,” he said. “We hope this report counters some of their arguments in terms of safety, safety records and risk.”
“It’s clear that this pipeline represents an immediate threat to . . . waterways all across Ottawa, not to mention all along the pipeline route,” added Graham Saul, executive director of Ecology Ottawa.
Capital Coun. David Chernushenko, chair of the city’s environment committee, told Centretown News that a City of Ottawa group including representatives from several different municipal departments has been working to identify “potential concerns,” particularly with the “potential environmental effects of the (pipeline) project” — including impacts on water quality.
The results of this work will be brought in a report to the environment committee, said Chernushenko, adding that that the city will be submitting comments to the NEB as part of its review of the project.
Ottawa’s main supply of drinking water is taken from the river at purification plants in Britannia, west of Westboro, and at Lemieux Island, which is crossed by the Prince of Wales Bridge in the northwest corner of Centretown.
Saul argues that elected officials should be taking a more proactive stance on environmental issues like this.
“Politicians should be standing up and protecting the people of Ottawa and making it very clear that they object to this pipeline,” said Saul.
Cayley-Daoust and Saul said their organizations plan on discussing the results of the study and bringing it to the attention of the City of Ottawa and community organizations over the coming months.