Montreal justifies its prominence in maintaining the lowest water consumption per capita amongst major North American cities.
In a heated municipal council meeting on Monday, the Plant administration stood its ground, disputing criticism over their sluggish progress in replacing lead water entries. Reaching only 37% of their 2024 goal, the opposition labeled their efforts as a total disaster.
The City finally revealed their revised plan, pushing back the deadline for completion by eight years and slashing the annual water entry replacement target from 5000 to 4000. Yet, this lowered goal remains unattainable, with the City falling short in 2021 and reaching an all-time low of 1839 replacements in 2024.
Vana Nazarian, an opposition councilor and water infrastructure spokesperson, voiced her concerns, stating, "We're a damn sight from our targets." On the other hand, Emilie Thuillier, president of the executive committee, claimed the city's numerous infrastructure projects necessitated the extended timeline.
"Our city's antiquated streets didn't land here overnight. Of course, we're not renovating them in a decade or two," Thuillier argued at the meeting. "We prioritize ensuring clean water, sewage, and streets for the entire population."
This year's census unveiled new lead water entries, bringing the total tally to 91,600. Artificial intelligence tools were employed to optimize the count, hitting 120% of the target.
Dig Deeper
- Metal Madness in Indigenous Schools and Daycares of Quebec
- Montreal's Infrastructure: One-third in a Rotten State
- Quebec City's Biodiversity: The First Strategic Move
Cash Drain
According to the City's report, the decline in replacements in 2024 is attributed to escalating costs and the postponement of projects.
Between 2018 and 2023, the cost to replace a water entry ballooned from $6,812 to $25,040. Costs dipped to $13,463 in 2024, but the number of water entries replaced dropped instead. "The budgetary hammer exploded in 2023. We manage the city's finances responsibly. Clearly, we weren't going to race ahead with reckless spending," explained Thuillier.
Yet, Nazarian argued, "The longer we wait, the more it costs us." In her view, the drop represents a politically motivated decision rather than a budgetary problem, "Once the orange cone becomes our city's emblem, I'm sure that, under pressure, the administration had to make sacrifices."
Public Health Peril
Following the publication of investigations by various outlets on Quebec's underestimation of lead in water, Montreal adopted its action plan to eliminate lead in 2019. However, over six years later, only 44% of the city's lead water entries have been replaced.
Exposure to lead in water poses detrimental impacts on the brain development of children and pregnant women, who should therefore steer clear of it. According to Nazarian, the issue demands more urgent attention from the City.
Thuillier addressed the challenge of social acceptability and the complexity of water inlet replacement work, especially for streets requiring complete closure to replace only a few. "By the time we reach the 2040 deadline, these streets might have undergone renovation," she explained. "And that's a rigorous way to work, as we serve the entire population."
For Your Interest
- Trump Bails Out G7 Summit Abruptly
- Mystery of Missing Girl in Montreal Deepens: Mother Charged with Child Abandonment
- Landlords Dodge Leases, Pocket Vacation Rental Dollars
Environmental concerns about the city's ongoing lead water entry replacement project have led to discussions in science and health-and-wellness circles. With the City failing to meet its targets, there are growing concerns about the potential impact of lead exposure on nutrition and overall health, especially for children and pregnant women.
Moreover, the City's revised plan to push back the completion deadline and reduce the annual water entry replacement target has raised questions about the city's commitment to eradicating lead in water, as environmentalists advocate for more proactive and urgent action towards biodiversity conservation and municipal infrastructure improvement.
