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(Montreal) The strength of the industrial cities shale gas was first expressed by the demand for a moratorium. But in recent weeks, some municipalities have taken more concrete: they refuse to treat well water in municipal sewage treatment plants. A decision that contrasts with the position of Bécancour.
This is the case of Saint-Hyacinthe. "We felt there was not enough information on products used by industry," said Joelle Jette, director of communications for the City.

The municipal council of Saint-Hyacinthe believes "there are insufficient safeguards to ensure the actual content of the water-based drilling and that chemicals could be included.

City invokes the "precautionary principle ... pending further information on the impacts of exploration and exploitation of shale gas.


"Discussions were held with the industry in 2008, long before the record gas attracts attention," says Jette. It was felt that it was possible to treat water. But there was no rejection. Then there was the media coverage of the case and demand a moratorium. "

That decision to the Board of wastewater from the Richelieu Valley, serving Mont-Saint-Hilaire, McMasterville, Beloeil and Otterburn Park, more than 55,000 people.

Gilles Plante, McMasterville mayor, is chairman of the Board and as Prefect of the MRC de la Vallée du Richelieu. It also invokes the precautionary principle.

"There is no question that treats water fracturing into our water treatment plant," he said at the meeting of citizen information on shale gas held last week in Mont-Saint- Hilaire.

In an interview with La Presse, Mr. Plante said he does not hold any information or analysis report to conclude that the well water exceeds the standards of its sewage treatment plant. "The only thing I heard, he said, it's part of our operator at the plant, which operates a factory in another town where there was a request and when it was not consistent . But he does not want any risk, given that the sludge from the plant are used as fertilizer.

Contrast

Such a decision has not been considered necessary in Bécancour. Mayor Richard Bécancour told La Presse that the Talisman and Junex had been allowed to discharge into the aeration basins of the City in 2008 and 2009. According to Richard, the water was analyzed by an external laboratory. "We applied the regulation," said Richard, adding that the volumes of treated water were low.

Yesterday evening, Mr. Richard added to the new water drilling that recently removed to sink St. Gertrude and Gentilly were sent instead to the basins of St. Nicephorus, near Drummondville. A matter of economics, said the mayor. The latter states that every trip wastewater is tested in accordance with the standards of the Department of Environment and the City would be entitled to refuse a tank that does not meet standards.

Maurice Richard for such a decision by a municipal council is probably more of a willingness to stand on the issue of the exploitation of shale gas. "And they have the right to do, that they do not look," he adds.

The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks (MDDEP) does not exercise direct supervision, according to Pierre Paquet, Regional Director Eastern Townships-Montérégie.

"We have asked municipalities to enforce their discharge standards," he said. We have no control parallel to this, except to ensure the performance of municipal facilities. "

This approach worries environmentalists.

"I found an article in the U.S. who said that no sewage treatment plant was able to treat water fracturing," said Johanne Dion, the Rivers Foundation. There are too many red flags. We must know what happens. "

The Rivers Foundation asked the MDDEP to provide "any analysis of contaminated waste water, treated on site or sent to a municipal treatment plant, industrial or other" by the industry.

La Presse made the same request in August. The ministry spokesman had then said to apply to the industry.