A report filed with the provincial government by Husky Energy says that the company discovered the oil leak on the edge of the North Saskatchewan River on Wednesday night, about 14 hours before it notified the government and shut off the flow.
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As soon as Prince Albert’s stored water is exhausted, it wishes to use rainfall gathered in a retention pond, buying itself four more days, Toye said.
Despite a devastating pipeline leak that flooded the North Saskatchewan River with 200,000 liters of tar sands crude last Thursday, Husky Energy waited until Monday to shut down the leaking pipeline.
“The paper version of spill response plans looks very impressive, but the reality looks like cities scrambling for new water supplies”.
The province also advises people to avoid recreational contact with the water where the oil plume has passed, and Kotyk said fishing in the affected parts of the river is not advisable.
“It’s not going to be a short-term event”, Sam Ferris with Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency said Monday.
North Battleford’s residents are relying on well water, in the meantime.
The water pipeline network that serves the city of Melfort stopped its intake from the Codette reservoir near the river at around 6 a.m. Tuesday as the oil sheen made its way downstream. Hospitals are looking at alternative water supplies.
Prince Albert city council is holding a special meeting to discuss what Toye calls “drastic” water conservation measures that call for a fine of $1,000 if anyone is caught breaking the rules.
“It could go on for some time”. But Wes Kotyk with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment said Sunday that about 100,000 litres had been collected so far.
By contrast with our month of reserved water, Prince Albert has about a week’s worth of bottled water stashed away.
Work is already underway to lay out a temporary pipeline to draw water from the South Saskatchewan River, should the water emergency continue for a longer period.
“We need a deterrent”, he said. “And they are working cooperatively to address any of the requirements that we’ve been having them do to address the situation”.
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Jan Shadick of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation said three birds were brought to them on Saturday coated in oil. “It’s selling well and fast”, she said.
