UPDATE: Clean up at Mattagami River over, drinking water safe

Fire trucks spent some time at the docks on the Mattagami River after a resident reported a slick in the water.

As a precaution, the water filtration plant shut down temporarily.

Speaking this morning, Chief Operator at the water filtration plant, Mark Johnston says the entire cleanup was contained and cleaned within three hours.

He says the Timmins Fire Dept. used absorbent pads to soak up the slick.  At the time of this article, the MOE hasn’t confirmed what the substance is.  Johnston continued to say drinking water is still safe,

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OLDER POST:

Mark Johnston, Chief Operator at the water filtration plant says the drinking water supply is good.

“We’re going to be starting up production right now,” he told Rogers Radio on site, “We shut down for maintenance from time to time anyway so it’s not a huge deal.”

On what it was, many believe it is oil.  Johnston believes it could be from the spring run off.

“Any types of oils or who knows what came in the spring run off and was along the river so the MOE (Ministry of Environment) is taking a sample to see what it is but (nothing people need to panic about).”

He says the fire department was on scene and took absorbent pads and socks to clean it up.

“The MOE was on site, and there’s no more sheens to be found,” says Johnston.