On April 16, 2023, Suncor Fort Hills site reported to EDGE that there had been a release of water with Total Suspended Solids (TSS) more than their approved regulatory limit from a sedimentation pond. We want to stress, this was not a leak from a tailings pond, and the water that was released is not processed water from tailings, it is drainage from surrounding landscape.
A sedimentation pond is a water treatment pond or a polishing pond that accepts water from muskeg drainage, overburden dewatering, overburden, and reclamation material storage areas or any areas not yet disturbed by mining and discharges to the environment. In this case, the pond collects and discharges run off water into Fort Creek 800m upstream of the Athabasca River in accordance with the AER approved regulatory limit of 50 milligram per litre.
The release into the Athabasca River was 66 milligram per litre over the approved limit. Suncor took action to stop the discharge system and the release was stopped April 16. Suncor is currently working to understand the cause of the exceedance and have informed AER that the system will remain down until Total Suspended Solids (TSS) fall within the accepted regulatory limit of 50 milligram per litre. Suncor has also advised that they have taken water quality samples and they will share the results when available.
Suncor have contacted Indigenous communities in the area and we have followed-up with our own communication.
Suncor has advised that they have taken water quality samples and they will share the results when available.
