BC Government Comments on Water Sample Results from Mount Polley Breach

British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment today provided a health update regarding the tailings pond breach at Imperial Metals Corp.’s (TSX:III) Mount Polley copper-gold mine.

The upshot is that preliminary water quality samples “meet both provincial and Canadian drinking water guidelines.” However, further sampling will have to take place before “a final determination can be made on the current water use restrictions.”

As quoted in the update:

As a result the Do Not Consume water restrictions related to the tailings pond breach remain in place. This affects water drawn from Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek, Quesnel Lake, and the Quesnel River system to the Fraser River. The public should also continue to refrain from using the waterways for recreational purposes. This includes swimming and fishing. In addition, given the presence of debris on these waters, recreational users are advised to avoid these areas until all clean-up activities are complete.

A memo explaining the water sample results provides further details. It states:

The Parameters analysed so far include pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, Hardness, alkalinity, total and dissolved metals, and E.coli. While concentrations of most of these parameters could be influenced by the tailings discharge, E.coli bacteria are not a typical contaminant in tailings and results are thus likely not due to the tailings discharge.

Samples collected near the Town Site of Likely and on the North Shore of Quesnel Lake indicate that none of the analysed chemical and physical contaminant concentrations exceeded BC or Health Canada Drinking Water Guidelines. E.coli concentrations were below or just above the guideline at typical concentrations for lakes in BC and well below the disinfection and partial treatment guidelines. The detected value of 1 E.coli / 100mL is not likely a result of the tailings discharge.

Contaminant concentrations at the above sites were well below aquatic life guidelines at all sites. However, the concentrations for Cadmium and Zinc could not be compared to guidelines, since the lab analysis detection limit was higher than the guideline and the detection limit for Chromium was at the guideline.

Happily, the memo concludes that impact to aquatic life and fish is not expected. That said, fish tissue samples haven’t been collected yet, and “[g]enerally bio-accumulation of contaminants in fish muscle tissue occurs over a longer exposure time than a few days.”

For its part, Imperial said in a press release today that yesterday it provided a preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment and Action Plan to the province and is starting to move forward with the plan. So far, timber that was swept into Quesnel Lake has been secured; lighter debris is now being gathered.

The company also announced plans to hold a community meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. in Likely, BC.

Click here to view all the Ministry of Environment’s announcements regarding Mount Polley.