The Toronto Star reports, “Toronto’s drinking water could be at risk due to a recent proposal to treat toxic waste at a plant on the New York side of Lake Ontario. The Niagara Falls Water Board is exploring the possibility of treating excess fluid from fracking in the Adirondacks. The chemical-laden liquid would be transported to an existing waste water plant (in Niagara Falls, New York) along the shores of Lake Ontario, home to an expansive ecosystem and the source of drinking water for more than 9 million people. …The Council of Canadians issued a letter to the board on Thursday, suggesting waste water facilities are rarely able to fully decontaminate fracking fluid.”
The CBC adds, “The Council of Canadians has written to the board, expressing concerns that fracking water will end up flowing into Lake Ontario via the Niagara River.”
Though not noted in this CBC new report, we know that Toronto mayor Rob Ford told the reporter that the proposed treatment of fracking fluids at the wastewater plant in Niagara Falls, NY would not affect Toronto because the Niagara River flows south away from Lake Ontario. Council of Canadians Great Lakes campaigner Emma Lui highlighted to the reporter that, in fact, the Niagara River flows north into Lake Ontario!
You may remember that Canadian Alliance party leader Stockwell Day made a similar gaffe during the federal election in 2000. At an event at Niagara Falls, Day complained that Canadian jobs were flowing south just like the Niagara River. It was quickly pointed out that the river flows north – and the blunder dogged Day for the rest of the campaign.
The Council of Canadians letter to the Niagara Falls Water Board can be read at http://canadians.org/water/documents/fracking/letter-Niagara-Falls-Water-Board-0911.pdf.
For blogs on our opposition to the Niagara Falls wastewater treatment plant handling fracking fluids, go to http://canadians.org/blog/?s=%22niagara+falls%22+%2B+%22fracking%22.
