Cost for Town of Outlook's water scare $100,000 and counting

As the Town of Outlook continues to add up the cost of a recent incident that prompted fears about the safety of its water supply, the chief administrative officer suggests enhanced security measures are needed.

Kevin Trew said in an interview Wednesday that the costs for the town of about 2,300 are estimated at about $100,000 so far, but the toll of turning off the taps for eight days is still being tallied.

On the morning of Monday, Dec. 15, padlocks that secure the hatch on top of the town’s treated water reservoir were found to have been pried open.

Provincial protocol requires that water service be discontinued in such an instance so the water can be tested for contamination.

“So we purchased bottled water locally and then distributed it to water users in the town of Outlook,” Trew said. “And so that’s a cost, fairly substantial, fairly significant, actually, and easily trackable, of course.”

The town issued a water advisory while the testing was underway, and lifted it on Dec. 23. No contamination was discovered, but the city had to empty the reservoir, clean it and then refill it with treated water, Trew said.

Some of the costs for the response will take longer to estimate, he said, adding that the town’s annual budget is about $6.5 million. The town wants to hear from businesses about the costs they incurred as a result of the precautionary measure.

The town, located about 93 kilometres south of Saskatoon, wants to apply to the province for disaster assistance.

Trew said he’s spoken to officials at the provincial Water Security Agency and suggested stricter rules may be needed to protect water facilities in towns throughout the province.

“We've had some conversations with water security regarding this being a cautionary tale for everyone, that it could happen elsewhere, could easily happen elsewhere,” Trew said.

Sean Osmar, a spokesman for the WSA, said in an emailed response that provincial rules require drinking water systems to be locked when they're not being accessed by authorized personnel, but it's up to the municipalities to choose their security measures.

Municipalities must also report incidents like the one in Outlook, Osmar added.

The Town of Outlook had already planned to install security cameras before the incident, and will proceed with that, Trew said. The reservoir is essentially a water tank located underground, but is installed above grade and resembles a hill, he said.

The locked hatch is located on top of the 1.9-million-litre reservoir. The town, which calls itself the "Irrigation Capital of Saskatchewan," gets its drinking water from the South Saskatchewan River.

Trew said RCMP continue to investigate the incident.

He added that he does not believe there was any “nefarious” intent toward the city’s water supply and the pried locks could be related to other incidents that occurred the night before the breach was discovered, including two vehicle thefts and nearby property damage.