Ottawa Riverkeeper at court to hear arguments on penalty for sewage spills

Ottawa Riverkeeper will be at the Provincial Offences Court in Ottawa on September 23rd to hear city lawyers and legal counsel from the Ministry of Environment present arguments on the size of the penalty the City of Ottawa will have to pay in regards to the massive 2006 sewage spill into the Ottawa River.

Two charges under the Ontario Water Resources Act were laid against the city in July after a two-month investigation into the spill. The City of Ottawa has pleaded guilty to dumping a massive amount of raw sewage into the Ottawa River in 2006 and subsequently failing to report the discharge to the provincial government.

Meredith Brown, the Ottawa Riverkeeper will be joined in the courtroom by Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.

“I'm quite pleased that the regulators have taken this spill seriously,†said Ms. Brown. “I am hoping that this case will create an important precedent and send a clear message that municipalities can be held accountable for their pollutionâ€.

“Sewage pollution is one of the greatest threats to clean water in Canada, and I am pleased the Ministry of the Environment is giving the matter the attention it deserves,†said Mr. Mattson. “The resulting penalties send a clear message to all sewage treatment plant operators: comply with provincial laws, or you may be charged.â€

Ottawa Riverkeeper and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper will be available for media interviews after the hearing.

Contact Information:

For English interviews: Meredith Brown, Ottawa Riverkeeper Telephone: 613-321-1120 Email: keeper@ottawariverkeeper.ca

Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper Telephone: 416-861-1237 Email: mark@waterkeeper.ca

For French interviews: Delphine Hasle, Sentinelle Outaouais Telephone: 613-321-1120 Email: outreach@ottawariverkeeper.ca