Some in RM of P.A. struggling without water
A week after a Husky Energy pipeline near the community of Maidstone failed and sent more than 200,000 litres of oil into the North Saskatchewan River, the effects of the spill continue to be felt across a wide area of the province, writes Andrea Hill.
HUSKY COULD FACE SANCTIONS
The Saskatchewan Pipelines Act requires companies to use pipelines that are designed, constructed, operated and maintained to certain standards. If Husky is found to have violated that act, it could face fines of up to $50,000 a day for incidents. The federal government is also investigating whether Husky broke the Fisheries Act, which forbids activities that could cause serious harm to fish, or the Migratory Birds Convention Act, which forbids activities that could cause serious harm to birds.
QUESTIONS REMAIN
Husky has not yet answered questions about what caused the pipeline to rupture and has been unable to say how long it was leaking before it was shut off last Thursday morning. Husky spokesperson Al Pate has repeatedly told the media a “comprehensive investigation” is underway and more details will be made available when that is complete. It’s not yet clear how long it will take to clean up the oil or how much those efforts will cost.
CLEANUP CONTINUES
Crews from Husky are still cleaning up the shoreline near the site of the spill. As of Wednesday morning, nine reclamation booms have been set up to prevent dislodged oil from moving downriver. More booms may be set up if it’s deemed necessary. Workers are surveying the river by air, land and water to track the movement of the oil sheen. The sheen is confirmed to have travelled as far down river as the Cecil Ferry crossing, which is roughly 30 kilometres east of Prince Albert. Water samples further down river are being tested for oil.
FIRST NATIONS LEADERS FRUSTRATED WITH SPILL RESPONSE
First Nations chiefs say they are frustrated with Husky and government regulators for ignoring them during the oil spill cleanup. Six chiefs spoke to reporters near the river in North Battleford on Wednesday, expressing concerns about the incident. “Somebody has to account for this …. The river is nothing but a slop pail,” Chief Duane Antoine of Poundmaker Cree Nation said. Northern Saskatchewan NDP MP Georgina Jolibois said she’s heard from many residents of northern reserves who are worried about the repercussions. “The pipeline leak has threatened their habitat and the integral parts of their traditional lifestyle such as hunting and fishing,” she said in a release, adding that she has written to the federal minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs asking the government to immediately discuss cleaning the river and ensuring access to clean water for indigenous and northern communities.
NORTH BATTLEFORD ‘OK FOR THE TIME BEING’
The City of North Battleford gets water from two intakes: one that draws from the North Saskatchewan River and one that draws from an underground aquifer. The river intake was shut down early on Saturday, reducing the city’s available water supply by half, and a mandatory water ban was imposed. Laundromats and car washes have been shut down and people who water lawns or wash cars have been threatened with fines. “With a great deal of inconvenience to the public — and especially the high-volume users — we could go on indefinitely without a major event,” Mayor Ian Hamilton said. “We’re going to be OK for the time being.” The city has water tankers on site in case of a fire or other emergency that requires significant volumes of water and is exploring ways to get the city’s water usage back to normal. This could include piping in water from the Battle River or the Town of Battleford, which gets its water from an underground aquifer.
PRINCE ALBERT REMAINS UNDER STATE OF EMERGENCY
Prince Albert gets all its water from the North Saskatchewan River. The city shut down its intake early Monday and switched to emergency water reserves. Council declared a state of emergency and implemented a ban on non-necessary water use. Emergency water reserves sustained the city for roughly two days; late Tuesday, the city switched to a backup water supply pumped in from a storm retention pond. That could last up to five days with water restrictions in effect. In the meantime, workers are building a 30-kilometre pipeline to bring clean water from the South Saskatchewan River to the city’s water treatment plant. That could be done as early as Friday. Work is also underway to bring in water from the Spruce River System.
BOIL WATER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR MELFORT
The City of Melfort shut off its water intake on Tuesday morning and is supplying more than 7,000 residents with water from a nearby dam site. Because the dam water is not as clean as what the city’s treatment plant usually processes, a precautionary drinking water advisory is in effect.
CUMBERLAND HOUSE NOT AFFECTED (YET)
After Melfort, the next community to have a water intake valve downstream of the spill is Cumberland House. Sam Ferris, executive director of environmental and municipal management services for the provincial Water Security Agency, said the community is “not threatened by the spill at this time” because it has an off-stream storage reservoir and people are working to make sure that’s full.
COMMUNITIES WITHOUT WATER
Customers who get water from the Prince Albert rural water utility have been without water since Monday, when the City of Prince Albert shut off its water intake. However, people and businesses north of the river were able to turn on taps Wednesday after haulers brought water to nearby storage tanks. Those using water from the tanks are under a precautionary boil advisory and residents south of the river are still being told to stock up on water.
WILDLIFE IN THE LURCH
The bodies of 14 animals, primarily birds, had been pulled from the vicinity of the oil leak by Wednesday morning. Another five oiled animals — two birds, two snakes and a beaver — are being cared for and cleaned by experts. Deterrent devices, such as flags, have been put up to keep wildlife away from the shoreline.