The Beloeil living waters pool was opened during the days when the Ministry of the Environment noted an abnormal concentration of toxic materials in the water of the Richelieu river, near the Northvolt site, in 2024.
• Read also: Northvolt is imposed a fine of $ 10,000 for his toxic releases
• Read also: New carcinogenic rejections from the Northvolt field near a swimming area in the Richelieu river
Our investigation office was able to confirm the dates where the Ministry of the Environment noted exceeding of environmental standards a few kilometers from the bathing site.
The samples were taken by the Swedish company where it planned to build a mega-unit of battery.
According to the ministry, rejections of suspended matter and metals linked to the Northvolt site exceeded the limited limit on July 18, August 5 and 15, 2024. A few kilometers downstream, swimming in the Beloeil vivid waters pool was allowed, as well as the following days.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HAP) carcinogenic and nitroaromatic compounds, another toxic substance, also exceeded standards on August 21. The city of Beloeil confirms, however, that the swimming pool was closed from August 19 to 23 due to the rains, but also cold weather.
Northvolt had received a notice of non-compliance for all these shortcomings.
Available data
In an interview carried out on Wednesday, the mayor of Beloeil, Nadine Viau, admitted that the city had not asked to obtain data from the Ministry of the Environment.
“The municipality of Beloeil has not made a request, but could make a request to obtain this data through a request for access to information,” confirms the Ministry of the Environment.
A little earlier during the week, the city was reassuring after being alerted by citizen groups that HAP carcinogenic contaminants had been measured near the Northvolt site last May.
The city does not measure contaminations to the HAP, but rather the fecal coliforms in the waters of its swimming pool.
However, she maintains that swimming is safe and published a second press release on Friday morning on this subject. The administration claims to have exchanged with the Directorate of Public Health of Montérégie (DSPU).
“The risk of health effects linked to chemical contaminants is considered [comme] weak during swimming in the Richelieu river, ”confirmed the DSPU in the Journal.
Among the factors considered, there is the fact that the Northvolt site is 5 kilometers, which allows a dilution by the significant flow of the river and “reduces the quantities of contaminants with the distance,” said the DSPU. Added to this is the fact that swimming only takes place over a short period in summer, rarely more than a few days a week and for less than an hour at a time, and that little water is ingested.
The DSPU tells us, however, that she advised to avoid direct contact with river water at least a day after the end of an episode of rain.
Northvolt Réagit
Arrested a few days ago, Northvolt finally answered questions from Journal by email.
“Almost 100% of the site’s waters now pass through our retention basin and the processing system thereafter. Since the construction of the retention basin, several water samples have been taken and analyzed in the laboratory, and no HAP has been detected in 2025, “says Johanna Toupin.
She adds that the company is currently working to improve its management of rainwater on the site. Until then, a corrective measurement plan has been submitted to the ministry.
The Directorate of Public Health of Montérégie transmitted a poster in June of Beloeil with their advice for swimming in natural waters. She recommends that the poster be clearly visible at the pool.
Public health courtesy of Montérégie
