The Town of Outlook, Saskatchewan, declared a local state of emergency after workers observed that a ground-level reservoir had its locks broken and its hatch pried open, raising concerns about possible contamination of the community’s drinking water system.
Town officials said the tampering was discovered on December 15, and likely occurred the day before. The reservoir is located adjacent to the water treatment plant.
“An unknown substance may have been added to the drinking water…,” Outlook officials announced in an emergency notice to residents.
As a precaution, the town shut down its water system, leaving approximately 2,500 residents without running water, including some residents of the neighbouring Rural Municipality of Rudy. Outlook is located about 77 kilometres south of Saskatoon.
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Outlook Mayor Ryan Husband and CAO Kevin Trew held a press conference to update residents on the tampering incident.
“It’s a frustrating situation to have this happen to us as a town,” Husband said.
Trew added that if the perpetrator is discovered, he hopes that they would face “harsh consequences even if they unknowingly compromised the system.”
The RCMP are still investigating the incident and have released no further details.
Municipal crews are currently disposing of potentially contaminated water and then sanitizing the reservoir, treating new water, and flushing the distribution system to ensure it is safe for use.
The local state of emergency is expected to remain in effect until at least December 19, based on guidance that the full process could take up to four days.
Free bottled water is being provided to residents at the local skating rink.
The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency and the Town of Outlook have issued a “do not use” advisory, warning residents not to use tap water for any purpose until further notice.
In the days following the intrusion, town crews flushed fire hydrants and confirmed that the distribution system remains pressurized. However, officials warned that intermittent hydrant flushing may cause pressure fluctuations in some areas. They also noted the water remains cloudy and contains elevated chlorine levels, with iron deposits that normally adhere to pipes becoming dislodged and exiting through hydrants and household fixtures such as toilets.
The “do not use” advisory remains in effect as cleanup and investigation efforts continue.
Outlook is known as the irrigation capital of Saskatchewan.
As of December 22, local officials say they have submitted water samples for analysis.
