City & Meewasin remind everyone to be stewards of South Saskatchewan River

As gardening season gets into full swing, the City of Saskatoon and Meewasin want to remind everyone of the importance of caring for our river system by helping to monitor the materials that end up in our storm sewers.

Everything that either runs off the road or is deposited in storm drain catch basins ends up back in the South Saskatchewan River. It is everyone's responsibility to make sure that only clean water and rain water re-enter the watershed.

The City, Meewasin and the South Saskatchewan Watershed Stewards are also working on a number of storm water projects to help clean water before it drains into the river. Near the Northeast Swale, for example, there are a number of natural vegetation floating islands that filter pollutants with the help of plants.

The City will also check the riverbank for any possible contaminants.  Twice this spring, most recently last week, the City investigated concerns of a potential river spill. Nothing was identified which indicated petroleum hydrocarbons.

However, if you discover a shiny film on the water surface, it may be naturally-occurring. A bacterial film can be caused by bacteria reacting with minerals in the water. The smell and look of a substance can also help in distinguishing between bacteria and petroleum hydrocarbons.

The City investigates all reports of potential spills.

Please help protect our South Saskatchewan River system by reporting any spills or discharges to the river. Please note that any spills that are not drifting and do not pose any threat to life, should be reported to the City’s Customer Service Centre at 306-975-2476.

For situations involving unidentifiable substances, drifting substances, or if the spill is part of a major accident or poses a threat to life, please call 911.