A new scientific report released today by our alliance of environmental, community, and religious groups shows that TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline would directly threaten the drinking water of more than 850,000 Manitobans, including the entire population of Winnipeg.

The report shows that every township in Manitoba has roads with ditches that channel water into streams or drains constructed around Winnipeg and other municipalities. This means that if the Energy East pipeline ruptured (the report documents TransCanada’s frequent pipeline failures), closing the valve on a major water crossing would not necessarily be effective as a rupture on even a minor water crossing could drain into waterways Manitobans depend on for water. Municipal water supplies would thus be impacted.

According to the City of Winnipeg’s National Energy Board intervenor application, which is posted on the NEB website, the pipeline would traverse two metres under the Winnipeg Aqueduct, which is made out of porous concrete. The City also acknowledges there is no way to stop a spill into the aqueduct from contaminating the Deacon Reservoir.

The report also includes several other threats ignored by the city and province, including the high risk of explosions and fires, given that five natural gas lines run parallel to the proposed Energy East route; and the danger of pipeline failure from corrosion fatigue after 40 years of service. In addition, the report documents the vast amount of crucial information missing in TransCanada’s project application, including the location of shut off valves around water crossings in Manitoba, thermal analysis modeling to determine the maximum temperature of diluted bitumen in the pipeline, and measures to combat microbial action in the pipes.

To download the report click here:
Potential Impacts of the Energy East pipeline to the City of Winnipeg