Sask. city shuts water intake due to oil spill
Booms fail to stop slick on major river after Husky Energy pipeline ruptures, leaks
NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — Attempts to stop a pipeline oil spill from flowing down a major river in Saskatchewan failed Friday and new steps were being taken to try to contain the slick.
A government official said booms placed on the North Saskatchewan River by Husky Energy to contain the spill were ineffective because high water levels lifted the oil over the barriers.
The official, who did not want to be named, said Husky Energy and the government were placing booms further downstream and increasing skimming to try to remove oil from the water.
Between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of crude oil and other material leaked into the river on Thursday from a breach in Husky’s pipeline near Maidstone, Sask. The company shut down the line and put out the booms about 40 kilometres upstream from the North Battleford.
Residents of North Battleford, a city with about 14,000 residents, saw signs of the spill as early as Friday morning and shut down its water intake plant.
“Husky reported to water security that they … saw a sheen and so everything gets shut right down,” said Stewart Schafer, the city’s director of operations.
Schafer said the city has a backup supply of water in its reservoirs and water tower. It also has a ground-water treatment plant.
“We have about three days and then we have to start up the other plant. By that time, we are hoping that whatever contaminants hit the river are flushed down.”
The reservoirs and water tower had been filled to capacity as a precautionary measure.
North Battleford Mayor Ian Hamilton asked residents to slow the flow from their taps to help ensure an adequate supply. The city issued a statement telling people that car washes were being shut down, laundromats closed and citizens were being asked not to water their lawns or wash their cars.
The city and Husky also were building a berm around the water intake at the water treatment plant to prevent oily water from getting in.
Farther upstream, Prince Albert issued a statement late Friday afternoon urging its residents to fill bathtubs and water jugs with water over the next 24 hours. Oil from the Husky spill is expected to reach the city of about 36,000 by Sunday.
Prince Albert also will likely shut down its water treatment plant’s intake from the river, a city spokesperson said.
Rob Peabody, Husky’s chief operating officer, said some of the spilled oil was on land and was being recovered.
“What we do know is the leak was not under the river, as far as we can see,” he said. “The leak was kind of in a location near the river.”
The pipeline runs from Husky’s heavy oil operations to its facilities in Lloydminster and carries oil mixed with a lighter hydrocarbon, called a diluent, that’s added to ease the flow.
Wes Kotyk of the department’s environmental protection branch said the spill, which he said was equivalent to two rail cars, was of a “higher magnitude” than Saskatchewan is used to.
Peabody said it could be several weeks before a cause for the spill is known.