By Joel Ceausu
Like other Montrealers, Neal Mukherjee just got his municipal property tax bill. But one line on it caught the particular attention of the NDG resident: “I was billed an amount for water service tax. Considering that my water is contaminated with lead,” he asked Borough Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, “considering my water is dirty, why is the city taxing me on dirty water?”
“The city, if I’m not mistaken, gave itself 10 years to change the lead water entries for all Montrealers,” responded Katahwa, “and in Côte des Neiges-Notre Dame de Grace, we are one of the most advanced boroughs in terms of changing these lead water entries for citizens here.” She then pointed out that “you use water for all kinds of reasons: to drink, to prepare, to take your shower, so water is an important resource for many people.”
While the city has decided to change the lead water entries, she says “the level that is in some of our pipes is not a level that is dangerous for the health of the population in where it is right now. So we have time to change them because it’s the best practice to do, and we want to have the best water possible for Montrealers, but you’re not poisoning yourself right now. Water is a resource that is increasingly scarce and important in the world, so I think we should all be very grateful to be able to have this running water in our homes.”
“Your answer that water is important, I agree,” said Mukherjee. “That is probably the most important service the city can offer its residents. So why is it not a more important priority for this administration or for this city?” In response, Katahwa pointed out that as a past mayoralty candidate Mukherjee has to look at the numbers. “We are investing a lot in our aqueduct infrastructure in the city of Montreal. We’re going to have to invest a lot in the next few years, that’s what makes us an administration that has decided not to ignore the maintenance of our infrastructure and we put a lot, a lot of money into it. When you say it’s not a priority. I admit I don’t understand what you mean.”
After council Mukherjee expressed “surprise that a former health professional has no problems with residents having a little bit of lead in their water. So much for public health!” n