January 24, 2024 Update

The following is an update of the environmental works conducted in December 2023 and early January 2024 in connection with the fuel release at the Lhtako Gas & Convenience Store.

Tap water sampling continued at select properties in the Area of Notification in December. Consistent with the November 2023 update, on-going tap water sampling has not identified any additional properties in the Area of Notification with concentrations of gasoline-related parameters above provincial and Health Canada drinking water criteria.

Sampling of groundwater monitoring wells in the vicinity of the Lhtako Gas & Convenience Store was completed in November and December 2023.  A total of 10 locations on-reserve and 14 locations off-reserve were monitored and sampled to support the testing of the groundwater containment system (discussed further below) and identify potential changes in groundwater concentrations.  Most locations had groundwater concentrations similar to or lower than prior sampling events.  Samples from two monitoring locations near one of the groundwater containment wells had higher concentrations of specific gasoline-related parameters in the most recent sampling events; these fluctuations are not unexpected given localized variations in groundwater flow directions during the start up phase of the groundwater containment system, but will continue to be evaluated as part of the longer term monitoring program.

Ambient air samples were collected from select properties in December 2023 and soil vapour was also monitored and sampled at targeted locations.  These results will be communicated in a future update.

Monitoring and testing of the pilot groundwater containment system is on-going.  In addition to the groundwater sampling discussed above, samples were collected in December 2023 and early January 2024 which confirmed that the treatment system is operating as designed and removing gasoline parameters from the extracted groundwater to below reportable detection limits prior to re-injection.

Results of the above activities continue to be reviewed with BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Indigenous Services Canada, Northern Health, First Nations Health and other governmental agencies. Various environmental activities (on-going groundwater containment system testing, tap water and indoor air sampling, groundwater and soil vapour sampling, and field-testing of vapour mitigation systems) are expected to continue through January and February 2024.