Coast Guard spills 200 litres of fuel from vessel on Baker Lake
Incident results in temporary water treatment plant shutdown while environmental authorities investigate
A fuel spill in Baker Lake this week resulted in a temporary shutdown of the hamlet’s water treatment plant. Water services have been restored as of Wednesday, said officials from the Department of Health. (File photo courtesy of Jake Hanna)
A fuel spill reported in Baker Lake on Tuesday morning has resulted in residents temporarily being cut off from their water supply.
The Canadian Coast Guard reported the spill, which involved a sea vessel, to the territory’s environmental authorities just before 7 a.m. on Tuesday, according to coast guard’s report in the N.W.T. and Nunavut spill database.
Approximately 200 litres of petroleum fuel spilled in the lake just northwest of Christopher Island and impacted 1,500 square metres of the lake’s surface area, according to the database. The cause of the spill is not yet known.
Nunavut’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure informed residents about the spill on Wednesday through a public service announcement.
The Department of Health ordered a temporary shut down of the community’s water treatment plant while authorities determined the seriousness of the spill. According to the public service announcement, drinking water access was restored after the department determined the water was safe to drink.
That department will also continue to monitor the quality of water in the area, said the public service announcement.
There have been a number of spills in Baker Lake over the past several months. In April 2025, about 100 litres spilled after a fuel truck operator fell asleep while filling his truck.
A diesel spill in the hamlet in June was estimated to be between 600 and 1,000 litres.
Nunatsiaq News is still waiting on comment from the Canadian Coast Guard and Nunavut’s Department of Infrastructure to learn more about the incident.
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