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New bylaw pairs with P.A.’s state of emergency

Jul 25, 2016 | 2:46 PM

Prince Albert city council voted unanimously to declare a state of emergency, under section 20 of the Emergency Planning Act, as it deals with an oil spill on the North Saskatchewan River.

Council also voted to enact a new bylaw to enforce water restrictions on residents and business across the city.

Laundromats and car washes will be forced to close temporarily in order to conserve water.

Bylaw number 28, which is to come into force immediately, will hand out a $1,000 fine to any person or business found to be violating any provision of the bylaw.

Provisions include a prohibition on all outdoor irrigation not using reclaimed water, the washing of cars, lawn watering, filling of pools and fountains, restaurants serving municipal water to customers and the temporary closure of all car washes, laundromats and the municipal water crane.

“It gives us more power to implement rules and regulations to protect our flow,” Mayor Greg Dionne said. “It also gives us more access to both provincial and federal funding if we require it.”

As for compensation for the cost of providing clean, potable water the mayor said after nearly constant contact with Husky Energy, he expects the city will be “made whole” by Husky for the spill.

On July 21, roughly 250,000 litres of heavy oil, mixed with diluent, leaked from a Husky Energy pipeline east of Lloydminster, near the bridge on Highway 21.

 

shane.oneill@panow.com

On Twitter: @stroneill