Nunavik village says water remains contaminated by 2015 fuel spill

Hydro-Québec laid out berms along this Ivujivik stream to absorb diesel that spilled from its local power plant on Aug. 1, 2015. Residents say they can still see and small the spilled fuel in the community, almost two years later. (FILE PHOTO)

UMIUJAQ—Leaders in the Nunavik community of Ivujivik say a 2015 fuel spill continues to contaminate local water sources.

In August 2015, a malfunction at the local Hydro-Québec plant caused a leak of some 14,000 litres of fuel into the community of 450, located where Hudson Bay meets the Hudson Strait.

Hydro-Québec oversaw a clean-up following the spill using absorbent socks and oil recovery basins to filter water.

But leaders in the community say traces of diesel remain. The fuel flowed downhill into a stream which empties into the bay, known for its rich marine life and seabird colonies.

The Northern Village and its landholding corporation are now exploring their legal options, municipal and regional councillor Adamie Mangiuk said during Kativik Regional Government council meetings held last week in Umiujaq.

“The people of Ivujivik would like to take this to court,” Mangiuk said. “It was 14,000 litres that was spilled and it went right through the community.”

Mangiuk said the fuel is visible throughout the year but the odour is apparent again, now that the snow has melted.

“In the stream right in front of my house, it smells like diesel,” he said. “My grandchildren are playing in an oil slick.”

Mangiuk said the Northern Village is in discussion with Ivujivik’s Nuvummi Landholding Corp. about taking legal action, but he also questioned the KRG’s department of Renewable Resources, Environment, Lands and Parks to find out what’s being done.

The department’s assistant director Michael Barrette said they continue to monitor the spill along with Quebec’s department of environment.

“[Hydro Québec] shipped most of the contaminated fuel south, we understand,” Barrette told the KRG meetings. “So far, they’ve met the requirements for the clean-up. But it’s not to say that it was well done.”

Hydro-Québec completed its decontamination work in Ivujivik in 2015.

That included sampling plant and wildlife in the bay. At the time, Hydro-Québec said the results showed none of the algae and fish samples it looked at contained traces of contamination.

Very small quantities of contaminants were found in local mussels but Hydro-Québec said it was “highly unlikely” the contaminant stemmed from the spill.