North Saskatchewan River spill identified as naphtha
Last Updated: Thursday, July 3, 2008 | 6:07 PM MT
CBC News
The solvent that was dumped in the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton on Wednesday night was naphtha, a petroleum-based substance used in paint thinners, officials said Thursday.
Booms were set up to contain a substance, now identified as naptha, that spilled into the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton on Wednesday night. (CBC) It evaporates within hours and officials say the concentration that ended up in the river doesn't pose a risk to human health, wildlife or the environment.
"We did go out on the river today to check for any pockets that may have accumulated overnight but for the most part, the substance has absorbed into the atmosphere, which is what we anticipated," said Nikki Booth from Edmonton Fire Rescue.
It appears the solvent was poured into Edmonton's water system, with the amount suggesting it came from an industrial, not residential, source, Booth said. City officials have been checking the drainage system and visiting industrial areas as part of the investigation, she said.
The shiny substance, which was first spotted by a runner late Wednesday afternoon, was traced to a sewage outflow near the Quesnell Bridge in the city's west end. It has been mostly contained to the Rossdale area of the river.
Booms set up to recover the chemical in the river could stay there for several weeks, in order to catch any material that could come loose from drainage walls, Booth said.
Cheryl Robb of Alberta Environment said she hopes the incident was an accident.
"If it's deliberate, it's a serious offence under our legislation," she said. Under Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, an individual can face severe fines for illegal dumping of chemicals.
If a company dumped the toxic solvent, the fine can be as much as $1,000,000, Robb said.
Water from the outflow pipe is collected from public drains throughout most of the city's west end.
Wendy Brockbank, from Edmonton's drainage department, said people may smell the solvent in their homes until it is completely flushed out of the sewers.
The North Saskatchewan River is the source of Edmonton's drinking water. Epcor, Edmonton's water and power utility, has increased its water testing, but said the city's water is safe to drink.
