The Coventry Dump controversy – An update and chronological history
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Residents and environmental advocates concerned about the health of Lake Memphremagog are encouraged to attend an important online information meeting hosted by Don’t Undermine Memphremagog’s Purity (DUMP) on Thursday, Aug. 8, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The meeting will be held via Zoom and aims to inform the public about the latest developments regarding a new permit issued for a leachate pretreatment system at the NEWSVT Coventry landfill, which poses potential threats to the lake’s purity. Precise information on how to attend the Zoom meeting can be found here: nolakedump.com
New permit sparks concerns
The urgency of this meeting stems from a recent update on DUMP’s website, detailing the potential dangers posed by the Department of Environmental Conservation Watershed Management Division’s issuance of an amended permit on May 31. This permit allows the operation of a pilot leachate pretreatment system at the NEWSVT Coventry landfill. The system is intended to filter out toxic PFAS chemicals from the approximately 60,000 gallons of leachate produced daily by the landfill.
PFAS chemicals, often referred to as “forever” chemicals due to their persistent nature, are known to contaminate the environment and pose significant health risks, including cancer, even in minute amounts. Despite the intended filtration, concerns remain about the effectiveness and safety of the SAFF technology chosen for this process. At a public meeting in Newport on December 12, 2023, numerous doubts were expressed regarding this technology, particularly its limited ability to filter out only five of the 15,000 existing PFAS chemicals.
Potential risks and loopholes
The newly issued permit contains language that DUMP describes as “sketchy,” with potential loopholes that could lead to several alarming outcomes once the 180-day pilot phase concludes. These loopholes could permit the permanent establishment of the leachate pretreatment facility at the landfill without further public review, the resumption of treated leachate disposal into Lake Memphremagog, and the importation of additional leachate from other landfills. Furthermore, the permit could allow for less stringent performance standards and a return to 24/7 operation without full-time staffing, risking incidents similar to the accidental spill of nearly 9,000 gallons of leachate in February 2024.
Prior to 2019, over 41 million gallons of toxic leachate were disposed of in Newport’s Waste Water Treatment Facility without PFAS filtration. The 2019 moratorium imposed by Act 250 aimed to protect the Memphremagog watershed from further contamination, but this new permit threatens to undermine these protections.
Call to action
DUMP urges the residents of the Lake Memphremagog region to rally against the permanent siting of the leachate treatment pilot in Coventry and the return of leachate disposal into the watershed. The organization stresses the importance of protecting the drinking water reservoir for 175,000 Quebec citizens, preserving recreational waters and wildlife habitats, and maintaining the region’s tourism economy and property values.
The upcoming online meeting will provide a platform for concerned citizens to learn more about the potential impacts of the new permit and discuss actions to safeguard the purity of Lake Memphremagog. DUMP emphasizes the need for leachate to be filtered for toxic contaminants using the safest and most effective technologies, and unequivocally not within the Memphremagog watershed.
