Resident raises health concerns about Cenovus well leak in Saskatchewan

Jeremy Simes · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 20, 2025 11:26 AM EDT | Last Updated: 41 minutes ago

Cenovus Energy Inc. is facing questions implicit a good leak astatine a thermal installation successful occidental Saskatchewan, wherever an country nonmigratory says immoderate are acrophobic astir their health.

Mylan Tootoosis of Poundmaker Cree Nation said Thursday the Rush Lake tract successful Paynton, Sask., is releasing a beardown stench and immoderate are getting headaches, watery eyes and sore throats.

"It was to the constituent wherever the odor was making its mode into households and the school," Tootoosis said.

"Everybody was beauteous upset with however atrocious it has gotten implicit the past month. There's been nary ceremonial communication, nary accusation sharing from Cenovus. We privation to spot data."

Cenovus said successful a connection it's moving to resoluteness the leak, which has been releasing an odorous h2o vapour since aboriginal May.

It said it does not cognize the origin but believes it whitethorn beryllium a occupation with a good casing.

"We are continuously monitoring the aerial prime some astatine tract and successful the surrounding areas," the institution said.

"Fluids onsite are being contained wrong berms to forestall them from entering immoderate waterways. We are regularly monitoring adjacent h2o bodies and determination is nary impact."

In a statement, Saskatchewan's vigor ministry said the fluid being released is mostly muddy h2o and steam, but it includes hydrogen sulfide gas.

"While state being released astatine the tract is causing beardown odours, the monitoring enactment has detected nary contiguous hazard to nationalist health," the ministry said.

Tootoosis described the odour arsenic smelling of tar and rotten eggs.

"There's immoderate radical who accidental that it shows up successful their mouth, similar they consciousness similar they could sensation it arsenic a effect of smelling it," helium said.

'Need to spot immoderate transparency'

The ministry does not cognize erstwhile the occupation volition beryllium resolved, but says it volition behaviour a reappraisal and outline remediation requirements erstwhile the concern is cleared.

"The absorption remains connected bringing the aboveground merchandise nether control, maintaining nationalist and biology safety, and verifying and approving Cenovus' incidental effect measures," it said.

Tootoosis said immoderate are referring to Rush Lake arsenic "Hush Lake," due to the fact that they aren't getting answers.

"I decidedly request to spot immoderate transparency," helium said. "We besides request a third-party probe into what happened and wherefore it's been taking truthful agelong (to resoluteness the leak)."

Asked astir the contented astatine an unrelated quality league Wednesday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said helium had spoken with Cenovus representatives and was told the institution is moving to incorporate the leak.