Tests ‘encouraging’ but no decisions yet on river use
The Water Security Agency says test results from the North Saskatchewan River that have come back so far are “generally encouraging,” as the cleanup from the Husky oil spill enters the home stretch.
Out of 120 samples taken by the agency, only one failed to meet the guidelines for human consumption. A sample taken at North Battleford along the northeast riverbank tested above the guideline for a hydrocarbon called benzo(a)pyrene. Sam Ferris, executive director of the environmental and municipal management services division, said the more data available to make a decision, the better.
“The more data I have that shows what’s going on, the happier I’m going to be,” Ferris said Thursday, Aug. 8. “If you know the levels, it’s relatively easy to start to understand if those can be removed.”
Ferris said the petroleum found in the river is in particulate form, which can generally be removed successfully by water treatment plants. However, more information is still needed before deciding whether North Battleford, Prince Albert, and Melfort can resume drawing river water before winter.