Environmentalist vows to protect waterway

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This article was published 20/10/2024 (514 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brokenhead River environmentalist is vowing to keep fighting to protect the waterway in her backyard despite a judge dismissing her request to intervene in a new water treatment plant’s operations.

In January 2023, cottage owner Aliza Delwar sought a judicial review of the province approving the town of Beausejour’s plan to upgrade its water system using a “reverse osmosis” purification process.

The filtering system separates usable water and concentrate. The latter — reject minerals, metals and organics — are then dumped into the river.

The project was finalized last month to replace aging infrastructure and service the town’s growing population. It cost about $15.4 million to build, court records show.

Delwar is among the individuals who have raised concerns about how the river, its endangered species and nearby residents’ wells will be impacted since the project was announced in 2020.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Brian Bowman rejected her request to challenge an environmental licence and order officials to consider other filtration methods on May 8.

Bowman cited the town’s old system being “obsolete,” the importance of providing residents with safe and secure drinking water, and how granting the requested relief could delay construction.

“The town and ultimately the residents of the town in which government officials serve would be significantly prejudiced,” he said.

“The construction has occurred under the current licence, which was lawfully obtained in a process that is applicable to all municipalities in the province of Manitoba.”

Delwar, who splits her time between Winnipeg and a property near the River’s Edge Golf Course, recently filed a notice of appeal.

She told the Free Press she plans to continue advocating to protect the river for her family and future generations, as well as fishers and swimmers who frequent the area in the summer months.

“It just breaks my heart. The river is beautiful. It’s a popular tourist spot. There’s so many endangered species that call it home. They’re just turning it into a toxic dumping ground,” Delwar said.

She noted her well has lost pressure since the treatment plant came online.

Despite being affected by its operations, she and her neighbours are required to operate individual wells.

In his spring decision, Bowman recognized the applicant’s concerns about the health and wellbeing of the Brokenhead River and by extension, Lake Winnipeg.

“I appreciated hearing from the town of Beausejour that those concerns are shared,” he said.

Bowman added that residents and government leaders have a duty to take actions that can positively affect the environment, “but there is a framework for adjudicating such concerns.”

Delwar said she’s disappointed the NDP government has not intervened in the situation.

More than a year ago, prior to the 2023 election, she reached out to Wab Kinew, then-leader of the official Opposition, to flag the project.

“I know safe water is an important value for Wab and we will look at this project as with all others to make sure our waterways our protected,” the NDP leader’s chief of staff said in an email in September 2023.

The premier’s office deferred comment to the public service on Friday.

In a statement, a government spokesperson said the province has no comment on the matter because an appeal process has been initiated and it remains before the courts.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca