City continues to investigate oil spill from Co-op refinery in Regina

The City of Regina took seven days to alert those downstream about an oil spill into its sewer system because it was awaiting test results from water samples.

According to Kurtis Doney — the city’s director of water, waste and environment — city workers discovered the spill, which originated from the Co-op refinery, on May 22 at the wastewater collection system at the McCarthy Boulevard pumping station.

“Quick action and collaboration between the city and EPCOR isolated and contained the discharge on the impact of the wastewater treatment plant and the environment,” Doney said during a news conference on Tuesday.

Doney said most of the hydrocarbons were isolated in lagoons but he said the wastewater treatment plant is meant to process human waste, not oil.

The city kept testing water samples in the following days and late last week, results showed some of it ended up in Wascana Creek.

He said it takes between two and 10 days to take samples and get the results back.

“The Water Security Agency and Ministry of Environment have confirmed the contaminants released to the environment are low risk,” Doney said.

“On May 29, when new samples were received, the Water Security Agency requested the city to notify downstream users. EPCOR notified downstream users as soon as possible with a message that no action is required at this time.”

At this time, how much oil was discharged into the sewer system is unknown.

On Saturday, a spokesperson for the refinery said the incident was caused when strong winds stirred up ponds on site.

“There was no notification to the public and we immediately began working with the city. At the very beginning it was deemed there was no threat to the public or the environment so no notification was given,” said Brad DeLorey.

That explanation did not go over well with Unifor Local 594, which represents 730 workers who have been locked out of the refinery for months.

Local president Kevin Bittman said the incident highlighted the risk of using replacement workers, which DeLorey responded to by saying their safety record has been strong since the bitter labour dispute started in December.

“I’ve worked at the refinery for 23 years, and windy conditions are not abnormal in Saskatchewan, so Mr. DeLorey’s explanation doesn’t have merit. There is more to this than just weather,” said Bittman.

The city and EPCOR — a utilities company that manages water, wastewater, gas and power — continue to sample water from the wastewater treatment plant to Wascana Creek and the Qu’Appelle River.

An investigation into the incident continues. So does a cleanup.

“It’s very important for us to track the cost associated with this cleanup,” Doney said. “We will be continuing that investigation and looking to recoup any costs.”