We wish to respond to incorrect information published in your May 13 article, “Canada Rejects Proposal for Federal Intervention on Polluted Transboundary Watershed.” Statements that selenium levels in the Koocanusa Reservoir are rising and that Teck does not have plans to treat water are entirely wrong. Rather, as presented by DEQ selenium water concentrations in Koocanusa have been stable since at least 2012. Furthermore, data shows that selenium levels in the Koocanusa Reservoir are safe, have been safe for as long as data has been collected and are lower than in many other water bodies in the state of Montana.
Teck now has three water treatment facilities removing about 95% of selenium from treated water. Water quality is improving, and more water treatment facilities are being built and coming online. We have invested $1.2 billion so far in water quality with plans to invest a further $750 million. Later this year we will have four times the water treatment capacity we did in 2020 and we expect to achieve the important objective of stabilizing and reducing the selenium trend across the Elk Valley, including Koocanusa Reservoir.
More information on the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan and selenium levels in the Koocanusa Reservoir can also be found here: https://www.teck.com/media/Water-Quality-in-the-Koocanusa-Reservoir-March-2022.pdf
Jeff Hanman, Vice President
Sustainable Development, Coal
Teck