Prince Albert, Sask., has partially lifted some of the water restrictions that were put in place following the Husky oil spill on the North Saskatchewan River.
City officials announced Thursday morning that two water pipelines – one from the Little Red River and the other from the South Saskatchewan River – are providing enough water to the treatment plant to have restrictions eased.
READ MORE: Prince Albert secures reliable sources of water after Husky oil spill contaminated water supply
Car washes, laundromats and dry cleaners can now open for business and restaurants can again serve customers with potable water.
Outdoor watering for businesses is also allowed, along with outdoor misting systems for cooling areas.
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Prince Albert secures reliable sources of water after Husky oil spill contaminated water supply -
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Kinks in pipelines supplying Prince Albert water after oil spill ironed out -
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Husky Energy crews isolate section of pipeline where leak occurred -
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Water being pumped from Little Red River to Prince Albert for pre-treatment -
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4 communities that draw drinking water from the North Saskatchewan River remain under states of emergency -
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Saskatchewan indigenous leaders work to be part of oil spill response -
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‘It’s not as bad as what people fear’: Local expert on North Saskatchewan River oil spill -
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An oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River continues to affect the drinking water of almost 70,000 residents -
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Pipeline ‘anomalies’ detected night before leak into North Saskatchewan River -
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Oil spill triggers Prince Albert to declare state of emergency -
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Will the Husky oil spill change public perception of pipelines? -
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RAW VIDEO: Downstream from the Maidstone oil spill site -
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Saskatchewan city gets backup water supply ready as oil spill approaches -
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Oil pipeline spill forces North Battleford to shut down water intake -
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Husky Energy pipeline leaks oil into North Saskatchewan River
People can start watering lawns again although there are restrictions in place – even numbered residences can be watered on even dates and odd numbered residences on odd dates.
READ MORE: Levels too high in some spots after oil spill on North Saskatchewan River: report
The washing of sidewalks, driveways, tennis courts, patios and other paved areas is also allowed along with washing vehicles.
Private swimming pools, hot tubs, fountains and spas can also be filled.
There are still some restrictions in place in the northern Saskatchewan city.
Civic facilities remain under restriction and the city’s municipal water crane will remain closed.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan premier promises independent water sampling report after oil spill
The municipal golf course’s irrigation system has been disconnected from the city’s water line. Watering of greens only will be done from the pond between the 3rd and 5th holes.
In North Battleford, the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency said a temporary line to bring water to the city is being disinfected Thursday and it could be operating by Sunday or Monday.
Both cities closed their water intakes after a Husky pipeline leak detected July 21 spilled up to 250,000 litres of oil mixed with a lighter hydrocarbon called a diluent into the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Economy is defending its pipeline oversight, saying it has been working for many years to strengthen regulations.
“Our new operating system went online in October of 2015 and, among other things, provides for online reporting. However, the oil and gas conservation regulations have included provisions requiring the reporting of incidents for decades,” said Laurie Pushor, deputy minister of the economy.
Saskatchewan’s provincial auditor said Wednesday that the province has only implemented two of seven recommendations her office made four years ago to improve oil pipeline safety.
The auditor’s office said in 2012 that the Ministry of Energy and Resources did not have effective ways to ensure full compliance with laws for pipeline construction and operation.
It said one problem is that the ministry doesn’t collect enough information to know if pipelines are properly maintained or if operators can adequately respond to emergencies.
Auditor Judy Ferguson said she’ll look at the pipeline issue again this fall and report back next spring.
“We continue to work on a number of fronts, but I can say that we are working on all of her recommendations,” Pushor said.
With files from The Canadian Press
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