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Hundreds of festival goers enjoy a sunny Saturday afternoon while listening to Lovecoast during the fifth annual Wapiti Music Festival.
Photo by L. Scheitel
Work on Line Creek Treatment facilities to begin this fall By Leah Scheitel Free Press Staff
T
he Line Creek Treatment facilities, which shutdown in October 2014, are set to start in the fall, with full operations resuming in early 2016. The facility halted operation last fall after the deaths of 74 fish in a three-week period from midOctober to early November. The official cause of death was nitrate poisoning along with low oxygen levels in the water. The facility
failed to remove chemical from the water, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and carbohydrates. Nic Milligan, Teck manager of community and Aboriginal affairs, said that additional time is needed to address some of the comments and concerns about the operation of the plant. âWe are taking time to address comments on the restart plan from various stakeholders, including regulators, to improve the operation of the plant, including improvements intended to prevent a reoccurrence of the unfortunate
fish mortality incident,â he said. The treatment facilityâs intention is to remove selenium from the Fording River. An Environment Canada report released in 2014 cited high levels of selenium in the water as the cause behind birth defects in trout, including malformed spines, gills and fins, among other issues. The Line Creek Treatment facility is part of the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan, a five-year plan to combat the high selenium levels. The Line Creek facility costs $100 million and the overall plan has a price tag
of $600 million. âThe water treatment facility is based on proven active biological treatment technology, which removes selenium and nitrate from mine-affected water. It is part of the overall water management efforts we are undertaking through the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan,â said Milligan. Plans for re-commissioning are slightly delayed, as it was originally set for mid-2015 with full operations starting by the fall.
AUGUST CAMPS Women's Mountain Bike Camp (intermediate/advanced) August 15 & 16 Kids Howl at the Moon Campout (@ Lost Boys CafĂŠ) August 15 -16 Kids Outdoor Adventure Camp August 17-19 250.423.4655
Lungbuster Uphill Climb
Saturday, August 15 Open to bikers & runners Register now - 250-423-2435