Sewage dumps, like Montreal's, happen here more than you'd think

CBC Radio | Posted: November 12, 2015 2:16 PM | Last Updated: November 12, 2015

Image | Montreal Sewage Dump 20151111

Caption: Montreal has begun its massive sewage dump yesterday, dumping some 8 billion litres of untreated waste water into the St. Lawrence over the space of a week in order to repair parts of its sewage system. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

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Audio | The Current : Sewage dumps, like Montreal's, happen here more than you'd think

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Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the City of Montreal began dumping 8 billion litres of untreated sewage into the St. Lawrence River, so that the city could do maintenance work on underground infrastructure.

The dumping had been delayed until the city could get the go ahead from the federal Minister of Environment.

The outrage over the dump has been widespread. But according to critics, this kind of thing happens all too often.

Elaine MacDonald is a senior scientist with Ecojustice. She has helped write a number of reports on waste water pollution in Canadian cities. She was in our Toronto studio.

The Great Lakes Sewage Report Card (2013)

This segment was produced by The Current's Sujata Berry.

Sewage dumps, like Montreal's, happen here more than you'd think

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