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Study Draft Says North Dakota Water Project Poses Little Risk to Canada

Posted on: Friday, 4 January 2008, 15:00 CST

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BISMARCK, N.D. - A preliminary report says a plan to bring Missouri River water to northwest and north central North Dakota poses little risk to Canada.

Manitoba filed a lawsuit against the Northwest Area Water Supply project, fearing the potential transfer of harmful material into Canadian waters.

The preliminary report from a court-ordered environmental study concludes that all of the four treatment options under consideration carry "very low risk" of transferring invasive species between the Missouri River and Hudson Bay basins. It says with multiple treatments, including filtration and disinfection as proposed by some alternatives, the risk is close to zero.

The existing plan calls for disinfection at a facility near Max, North Dakota and full treatment at the Minot Water Treatment Plant. The draft study estimates construction costs at $8.1 million for the disinfection unit and annual operating and maintenance costs at $232,000.

The treatment option preferred by Manitoba is called "conventional" treatment and includes filtration of the water. Construction of a conventional treatment plant is estimated to cost about $73 million, while operation and maintenance would be nearly $1.8 million a year.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is taking public comments that will go into drafting a final report later this year. Public hearings are scheduled for Feb. 4 in Bismarck, Feb. 5 in Minot and Feb. 7 in New Town.

Source: Canadian Press

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