Due to low water levels in the South Saskatchewan River, Leader is now in a state of emergency.

The Town of Leader has been monitoring the water situation for the last 18 months. They have maintained an eye on the water levels, and have decided that as they currently sit, a state of emergency needs to be declared in order to begin taking precautionary measures. 

Mayor for the Town of Leader, Aaron Wenzel, revealed that while there were always bouts of concern for local administration, public works, and council, it was only recently that it became dangerous. 

"We did get to a point just earlier in the week where our river intake is unable to take water from the river to supply the reservoirs and water treatment plant," said Wenzel. "Due to the low level of the river."

Wenzel assures people that they have a contingency plan in place and that there is no immediate risk to the town water supply. 

"It's not like we're going to run out of water tomorrow," said Wenzel. "We do have a plan to continue services to the community, but by declaring the emergency we're able to work with the government in a more timely fashion to address the situation."

The Town of Leader has been in contact with the Water Security Agency and continues to search for a solution to this issue. 

Residents are asked to be conscious of their water use. No restrictions are in place as of yet. 

 

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, Swift Current Online encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the Swift Current Online app.