Prince Albert residents are being asked to stock up on water as an upstream oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River approaches the city.
City officials issued a statement Friday urging residents to fill bathtubs and water jugs over the next 24 hours. Oil from a Husky Energy pipeline spill is expected to reach the city by Sunday, and the city will likely be shutting down the Water Treatment Plant’s intake from the river, the statement read.
The move is described as precautionary. Reservoirs will be filled to capacity with potable water until a shutdown is necessary, according to the city’s statement.
Husky Energy says between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of crude oil and other material leaked into the North Saskatchewan River on Thursday from its pipeline near Maidstone.
The company turned off the pipeline and put out booms to contain the spill.
A Saskatchewan government official says high water levels lifted the oil over the booms and the spill continued downstream towards the city of North Battleford.
The official says Husky and the government are placing booms further downstream and increasing skimming to try to remove oil from the water.
North Battleford shut down its water intake plant early Friday and says it has a three-day supply of water in its reservoirs and water tower.
--- with files from The Canadian Press
