No impact to aquatic life expected after Husky Energy spill

Officials today have released the results of ongoing testing of the potential impact of the recent Husky Energy spill on aquatic life in the North Saskatchewan River.

Exceedancesof the guidelines have been seen in 37 samples of the river, yet officials expect no real impact on aquatic life in the short or long term.

"The life in the river is not being exposed to theseexceedancelevels at a high frequency or for long periods of time and based on that data and based on what we've seen so far I would not anticipate an impact based on these kinds ofexceedancesto an aquatic population in the river," said Dr. KellyScribnerwith the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Scribneris part of the working group providing scientific analysis of water quality.

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What's curious about the findings,Scribnersaid, is that some of the chemicalexceedancesare happening in areas upstream from the spill site.

Even so, the provincial government has issued a do not consume advisory for the fish coming from the river.

The data released today is strictly meant to give a picture of what's happening for aquatic life in the North Saskatchewan River and has nothing to do with drinking water quality.

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Water sampling is ongoing the Water Security Agency has initiated an independent sampling program, but there's no word on when a final assessment will be complete.

The oil clean up meanwhile continues with more than 800 people now involved.

Officials say about 30 per cent of the heavily oiled areas have been cleaned.

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