State of Emergency due to the Oil Spill

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State of Emergency due to the Oil Spill

The city of Prince Albert, activated its emergency operations centre on Saturday afternoon to put together a contingency plan after The Husky Energy pipeline burst near Maidstone, Saskatchewan, causing an oil spill

The pipeline burst resulted in an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 litres of oil reaching the North Saskatchewan, entering the water near Maidstone, Sask.

ASb3z7F.jpgPrince Albert, among other communities which use the river as their source of water, has put together plans to close its intake valves. According to the city, a boom had been breached and the oil spill continues to travel downriver. 

In an email Saturday night, Mel Duvall, a spokesman for Husky Energy, said the company's containment and cleanup efforts in the wake of the spill are ongoing.

He did not specifically address the issue of whether a boom had breached, but did note that a boom deployed near the Paynton River ferry crossing was experiencing some difficulty.

"Not all of the oil was contained at the surface," said Wes Kotyk, executive director for the environmental protection branch of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Environment. Officials noted more booms were also being placed in the river at other strategic locations.

Emergency water storage

In a statement late Saturday, the city said had it enough potable water stored to supply the city for 48 hours, adding that that could be extended by using another storage system.

"The potential use of a secondary retention pond... could potentially extend the duration of the city's water supply until the end of the week," the city said. Officials were exploring long-term options "to ensure that there is a reliable, long-term source of clean, potable water until the situation is resolved."

People and businesses were urged to minimize water usage.

Provincial officials say the oil plume has already reached North Battleford and the oil is not one continuous mass. Some of it is floating on the surface of the water and some is suspended in the river. 

Source: CBS News

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