Uranium traces found in water

But water is still safe to consume, says town’s manager of public works

The town of Regina Beach is dealing with traces of uranium found in its water.

Claude Seguin, manager of public works and utilities for the town, said a test that is required once every two years caused concern when it found traces of uranium in one of the town’s wells.

“It hadn’t been there before and it was a level that we needed to address,” he said.

Many areas in the southern portion of the province are prone to uranium tracing.

Regina Beach has a high water table and ground that is often shifting, creating more of a risk for the silver-white metal to reach the water supply. Uranium can end up in water sources when groundwater dissolves minerals containing uranium.

Seguin said the traces are not enough to cause the town to make its water supply a non-potable resource. Forty-eight micrograms per litre were found in one sample. The Saskatchewan guideline allows for 20 micrograms per litre.

“What we’re hoping for is within the next month or so to discontinue use of the one well, and because we have several wells, tap into these other wells as an alternate source,” said Seguin.

There are some wells the town has that haven’t been used in three or four years which have been upgraded to be put back into service.

A report from a Regina Beach council meeting shows the well showing uranium traces is where the town draws 67 per cent plus of its raw water.

This is the latest of water troubles the community of 1,200 people.

“We have a lot of issues, unfortunately, many of which are created by the high water table,” said Seguin. “This is just another challenge that’s been tossed at us, that we’re addressing as promptly as possible to negate and move forward.”

Already the community has replaced or upgraded much of its water-related infrastructure, including work at its water works building and well sites.

Right now, the uranium issue is expected to cost the town $15,000 to $20,000. Ongoing testing will also take place once the replacement wells get going.

“At the treatment plant we’re going to have to perform some tests to try and balance the blend with the other wells such that were optimizing the quality of the water to our community,” Seguin said.

There is also the potential for work needed to be done to the town’s pipe network, which brings the water from the wells — located more than five kilometres away from the water works building. If those pipes have issues, like leaking due to ground shifts, the town will have to spend the money to repair those.

“I can’t estimate the cost right now. It would depend on the extent,” Seguin said.

Despite the ongoing issues, Seguin said the level of public concern has stayed low.

“There hasn’t been any, because we have been very forthcoming with our residents and community on this,” he said. “It is like everything else, one thing we’ve been trying to do is be open and any questions that come up, we address it and certainly if there was any danger, even a minute chance of concern, we’d be all over it.”