New water supply to Saskatchewan city to deal with Husky oil spill by weekend
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — Saskatchewan’s third-largest city was expecting to have alternate sources of water on the weekend to help deal with an oil spill that has tainted the river it usually draws from.
Prince Albert shut down its intake from the North Saskatchewan River on Monday to protect its treatment plant and the public after oil from a Husky Energy (TSX:HSE) pipeline breach upstream reached the city.
City crews have set up pumps and run a giant 30-kilometre-long hose from the treatment plant to tap the South Saskatchewan River. There’s also a shorter line to the Little Red River.
Government officials said treated water will start flowing to the community once the lines are charged and tested.