Dams and Sewage amongst “Worst Pollution Sources” of the Petitcodiac

Riverkeeper Unveils 2nd Annual Top 10 List

MONCTON, January 30, 2004 – Dams of all type and sewage were the main sources of harm affecting the streams of the Petitcodiac River system in 2003, according to the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper who unveiled today its second annual list of the 10 Worst Pollution Sources of the watershed. Public agencies such as the Province of New Brunswick, the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission and the City of Moncton, on the other hand, were also signalled out as continuing to lead the pack of the region’s “worst polluters”.

The term ‘pollution source’ employed by the Riverkeeper in its report refers to an activity by individuals, corporations or public/governmental agencies that has caused or continues to cause a single or multiple negative impact on the water quality, the habitat and the ecological integrity of the Petitcodiac River system (the 3000 km2 Watershed and its tributaries that comprise the Petitcodiac River, Memramcook River and Shepody Bay).

The objective of this annual exercise is to assist the Riverkeeper in identifying the issues that have the greatest negative impacts on the Petitcodiac River ecosystem, to educate the public on the most urgent environmental issues facing the watershed, to encourage those parties responsible for the negative impacts to take corrective action, to promote sound watershed management practices for the ecosystem and to repeat the classification exercise on an annual basis.

The full report of the 10 Worst Pollution Sources of the Petitcodiac River system in 2003 can be found on the Riverkeeper’s web site (www.petitcodiac.org). The Top-10 list reads as follows:

In assessing the order of importance and the frequency in which the ‘polluters’ appear in the report, the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper noted that the three worst pollution sources of the Petitcodiac River ecosystem in 2003 were all caused by government or public agencies:

• The Province of New Brunswick (no. 1, 6, 8 and 9)
• The Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission (no. 2 and 5)
• The City of Moncton (no. 3, 5, 8 and 9)

“Public agencies (Province, municipalities) contribute the largest share of the deterioration taking place in our ecosystem”, says Petitcodiac Riverkeeper Daniel LeBlanc. “The day that these public agencies will have taken their responsibility to eliminate these activities impacting our watershed, ninety percent of our environmental problems will be resolved in the Petitcodiac River system”, he added.

The Petitcodiac causeway was chosen as 2003’s Worst Pollution Source for its widespread negative impact on the entire ecosystem and for its responsibility in eliminating at least five aquatic species from the river. The Petitcodiac was designated as “Canada’s Most Endangered River in 2003” as a result of the impacts of this causeway.

The Greater Moncton Primary Treatment Plant was designated as 2003’s second worst pollution source, citing the 50 to 70 million litres of primary treated effluent being discharged daily into the Petitcodiac River. “The Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission may have had success in boosting its public relations image in 2003” suggested LeBlanc, citing the fact that the agency was recognized in Europe for having an excellent method of recycling its compost, “but none of these measures have had any impacts on reducing the level of contamination being discharged into the Petitcodiac River each day”.

“Our intention is to continue publishing the Top-10 list of the Worst Pollution Sources on an annual basis, said LeBlanc, with the hope that those who appear on it will take corrective measures to eliminate their harm to the ecosystem”. Last week, the Riverkeeper also announced the 2003 recipient of the Petitcodiac River Award, which was given this year to Environment Canada’s Office of Enforcement in Halifax, to recognise its significant contribution towards protecting the Petitcodiac River ecosystem.

INFORMATION:

Daniel LeBlanc, Petitcodiac Riverkeeper
(506) 388-5337
www.petitcodiac.org