By Geoff Smith

Post oil spill water samples indicate low risk to aquatic life

Aug 11, 2016 | 2:48 PM

Water samples from the North Saskatchewan River show a crude oil spill caused a fairly low risk of impact to aquatic life, according to a report released by Husky Energy. But an expert cautions not to read too much into what these results might mean for human consumption of the water.

Dr. Kelly Scribner of the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health explained the purpose of the report was to show the public that work is being done on how the July 21 spill may be affecting wildlife, not just the water supply for humans.

“We’re working closely with the technical experts (in) North Battleford and Prince Albert, and their waterworks folks and their technical specialists to make sure that they have all the information they need from a human health perspective, in order to make decisions in regards to their water intakes,” she said, adding the work is still ongoing. Standards for aquatic life are lower than those for humans.

The report released today, Aug. 11, stated a total of 1,400 samples were taken between the time of the spill and Aug. 7, amid the spill site and Prince Albert. Thirty-seven samples from 23 locations exceeded the guidelines for aquatic life for a solvent called toluene. Scribner explained while the solvent is commonly found in crude oil, it is also present in bug spray and sunscreen. Scientists also found it in water samples taken upstream from the spill site.

“When we’re sampling in the river we look at several controls. One is upstream, so anything we see upstream would potentially be unrelated to the spill and we want to make sure we account for that,” Scribner said, adding the solvent was also found in control samples. One possibility she suggested is that the people taking the samples inadvertently contaminated them.

ACAC bound

North Stars' Medernach talks commitment to NAIT Ooks

44m ago

Rustlers Volleyball

Crusaders' Bell excited for next chapter with Lakeland College

20h ago

Nothing but Net

Vikings' standouts ready for national stage with Team Saskatchewan

23h ago

Eight samples from five locations exceeded the guidelines for pyrene, a by-product of combustion, while another oil indicator, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were in excess of the aquatic guidelines in five samples from three locations. The latter two substances only exceeded guidelines for aquatic life in the two areas closest to the spill site. However, samples with more toluene than allowed in the guidelines for aquatic life were found all along the river to Prince Albert.

Scribner said these levels would only be present for one day at a time, and not for a prolonged period or high frequency of exposure. She said as a result, an impact to the aquatic population was not expected.

Despite the low risk indicated in the sampling data, 97 animals are confirmed dead from the oil spill. Wes Kotyk, an official with the Ministry of Environment, said the deaths happened in areas where large amounts of oil had pooled or collected on the shore.

Downstream from the spill, administrators from the cities of North Battleford and Prince Albert continue to work on alternate sources of water. North Battleford began receiving treated groundwater from the town of Battleford on Tuesday Aug. 9, and the city began allowing people to water vegetable gardens only.

Sam Ferris, an official with the Water Security Agency, said the City of North Battleford drilled one of four new wells to increase supply to its groundwater plant. Ferris also said the town of Battleford created a basic emergency response plan to cover what to do in the event of a plant power outage.

Prince Albert had no issues Wednesday with the raw water supplied through a pipeline from the South Saskatchewan River, Ferris said. Demand has increased, with the Kinsmen Water Park and the Saskatchewan Penitentiary drawing water from the system, and the golf course expected to begin watering in the next few days.

The rural water utility in the Prince Albert area is also being supplied with water from the new pipeline with flushing and testing taking place. Ferris said the drinking water advisory for users of that system in certain areas could be lifted Friday or Saturday, and potentially next week for north of the river.

A connection to the Muskoday First Nation is not drawing water yet.

Geoff Smith is battlefordsNOW’s News Director, business and agriculture reporter. He can be reached at geoff.smith@jpbg.ca or tweet him @smithco.