Four days after the Alberta Energy Regulator was told 40,000 litres of oil emulsion leaked from a pipeline into a creek that feeds into the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton’s primary utility provider says the city’s drinking water is “perfectly safe.”
“As it was anticipated that the spill would reach us 24 to 30 hours after it was reported, we monitored the water and increased treatment as needed,” a spokesperson for EPCOR said in an email to Global News on Monday.
“Our treatment process consistently adjusts to compensate for changing river conditions and we have no quality concerns from this spill.”
According to Bonterra Energy Corp., a pipeline was compromised when a creek bank collapsed after flooding at Washout Creek, 18 kilometres south of Drayton Valley.
READ MORE: Investigation and cleanup underway after oil spill near Edmonton
EPCOR said it was notified of the pipeline leak on Thursday.
“At this point, the potential emulsion from the pipeline rupture has passed Edmonton,” the company said.
According to the City of Edmonton’s website, the North Saskatchewan River is the city’s sole source of water supply.
There are currently 70 workers involved in the cleanup and the AER has ordered operations to be suspended and cleanup completed at the scene in and around the waterway. As of Monday, no impacts to people or animals had been reported.
READ MORE: Cleanup of central Alberta oil spill expected to take 3 weeks
“Bonterra is working closely with regulatory authorities, area stakeholders have been notified, and the company will remain in contact with them until the incident is resolved,” the company said.
Bonterra has set up booms to contain the spill and is using a combination of vaccuums and skimmers for cleanup efforts.
–With files from The Canadian Press
Watch below:(From July 25, 2018) Two First Nations are seeking reparations from Husky Energy for the spill in 2016 that polluted the North Saskatchewan River. Adam MacVicar has more.