New Report Shows Energy East Pipeline Would Threaten Drinking Water of over five million Canadians, Majority in Quebec

TORONTO, April 6, 2016 /CNW/ - Two days after TransCanada's Keystone system spilled yet again, a detailed analysis of the company's proposed Energy East pipeline route shows that across Canada the Energy East project could lead to the contamination of crucial sources of drinking water not identified in TransCanada's application.

"Protecting our most valuable resource – clean water – must take precedence over exporting dirty oil," said Adam Scott of Environmental Defence. "Just one pipeline rupture in any one of the vulnerable locations that we identified along Energy East's proposed route could contaminate drinking water sources for years to come."

For the first time, a study, Energy East: A risk to our drinking water, shows the magnitude of the threat Energy East poses to Canadians' drinking water sources. Over two dozen municipal regions across four provinces would face direct risks to their drinking water from Energy East which, if built, would cross nearly 3,000 water bodies. Over five million Canadians across Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick draw their drinking water from sources within spill range and downstream of the Energy East proposed route. If built, Energy East would carry tar sands diluted bitumen, which a recent U.S. National Academy of Sciences report says can create greater environmental risks when spilled.   

"Access to clean drinking water is essential to community health, but Energy East would put that at risk," said Teika Newton of Transition Initiative Kenora. "It's unthinkable to add the threat of toxic oil pollution as a new risk to community drinking water supplies."

"With a pipeline the size of Energy East, a major rupture threatens to be the largest pipeline spill Canada has ever experienced. Energy East is simply not worth the risk," Andrea Harden-Donahue of the Council of Canadians added.

TransCanada is known for a poor safety record. In its first year of operation, the company's Keystone system spilled 12 times. The most recent spill, earlier this week, was detected by a passerby, calling into question the effectiveness of the company's leak detection system.

Energy East proposal by the numbers:

• Estimated numbers of Canadians living in the oil spill zone: 5,061,433
  o    Manitoba 676,613
  o    Ontario 1,040,788
  o    Quebec 3,213,353
  o    New Brunswick 130,679
• Water crossings – 2,963

Download a copy of the report here: http://DrinkingWateratRisk.ca

The groups issuing this release are: Environmental Defence, Transition Initiative Kenora and Council of Canadians.

SOURCE Environmental Defence

or to arrange an interview, please contact: Allen Braude, Environmental Defence, 416-323-9521 ext. 247; 416-356-2587 (cell); [email protected]