Businesses, residents cope with water bans, boil orders

On a hot summer day, people are usually a lined up outside Sixth Avenue Car Wash in Prince Albert.

Its 12 car-washing bays were empty Tuesday on the second day of a mandatory water ban issued after more than 200,000 litres of oil from a Husky Energy pipeline leak floated down the North Saskatchewan River past the city’s water intake plant.

The city is currently relying on emergency water reserves. Since Monday, residents who use water for non-essential purposes can be slapped with a $1,400 fine. Car washes and laundromats were told to close their doors.

“It’s a kick in the gut because it’s our busy time of year,” said Shelley Gordon, who owns Sixth Avenue Car Wash. “Being a small-business owner, I don’t have a large banner to help me through times when income isn’t guaranteed.”

Sixth Avenue Car Wash also runs a car detailing service, but Gordon said there hasn’t been much demand for it this week.

“Our business, the two of them work hand in hand, one complements the other, and when one is not as busy it affects both businesses,” she said.

Many of the employees were asked to stay home this week; Gordon said she worries about those who live paycheque to paycheque.

She has contacted Husky Energy about her situation and a company representative said it will send her a claim form, she said. She was told she may get compensation, but that it could take time, she added.

Prince Albert shut off its water intake early Monday after an oil sheen was spotted on the North Saskatchewan River near the city. The city switched to emergency water reserves, which were expected to last businesses and residents 48 hours if water bans were observed.

Those reserves were more than 50 per cent full by late Tuesday, indicating they will last longer than the anticipated 48 hours, city manager Jim Toye said. When the reserves are depleted, the city will begin using water from a nearby stormwater retention pond, which can support the city for another four or five days until a 30-kilometre pipe is built to bring in water from the South Saskatchewan River.

That pipe was supposed to be functional by Wednesday, but Toye said logistical problems have delayed construction and it may not be working until late Friday.

“With the new stores from the waste pond, we are in no danger of running out of water,” Toye said. “However, we will bring that 30-kilometre line as soon as possible.”

North Battleford and Melfort have also shut off their intakes and are also relying on alternate sources of water.

Melfort closed its water treatment plant’s Cadet Lake intake valve Tuesday morning and is supplying residents with surface water from a nearby dam site.

Mayor Rick Lang said the quality of water from the dam site is “substantially inferior” to the water they’re used to, so a precautionary drinking water advisory is in effect.

Because most of the bottled water available in the city is long gone, Melfort’s administration has arranged for a 1,500-gallon truck to provide residents with small supplies of potable water until further notice, Lang said.

It remains unclear when the city and outlying communities will be able to return to normal water usage. Lang said it could be weeks or even months before all residual oil flows past Melfort’s primary water intake.

With the new stores from the waste pond, we are in no danger of running out of water.