By Spencer Sterritt

It could be “some while” until alternate water is treated for P.A.

Jul 28, 2016 | 1:16 PM

Though the two pipelines sending water to Prince Albert’s reservoirs are set to start pumping on Friday, water woes may not be immediately alleviated.

Sam Ferris with the Water Security Agency said it will take “some while” for P.A.’s water treatment plant to adjust to the water from the South Saskatchewan and Spruce Rivers.

“Surface water differs and it’s always a challenge because it’s changing,” he said. “As soon as the water from the South Sask. River hits the water treatment plant, there will be a time where they have to adjust the treatment processes so they can optimize the plant for that quality.”

Ferris said he couldn’t be more specific than “some while” and didn’t elaborate if he was referring to hours or days.

“I can’t say how long, I’m sorry, because I just don’t know,” he said. “The greatest threat to any municipal water supply is bacteria…the important part is making sure there’s effective filtration, that the water is nice and clear coming off those filters and that we’ve got good clear water.”

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The 30 km South Saskatchewan River pipeline was initially to be completed on Tuesday.

Ferris said a pump supply issue was to blame for its delay.

“Initially they specified fairly substantial pumps, and the supplier was not able to supply those pumps,” he said. “Slightly smaller pumps are being installed, that’s reason in part why they’re going across the river to Little Red.”

Four days after P.A.’s water intake was closed due to oil in the North Saskatchewan River, the city is currently using treated water from a storm retention pond, which should keep water in the taps until the weekend.

At some point between Wednesday, July 20 and Thursday, July 21 between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of oil leaked from a Husky Energy pipeline near Maidstone, contaminating the North Saskatchewan River.

ssterritt@panow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit