Water

Water management

Pipelines cross thousands of streams and rivers in Canada. During construction, the pipeline is usually lowered into a trench on the bottom of the waterway. In sensitive areas, companies may use directional or horizontal drilling methods to bore under the water course where soil conditions allow this option. The pipe is then pulled through the borehole without disturbing the banks or the stream. Construction schedules avoid times when fish or waterfowl are vulnerable.

The industry uses water to hydrostatically test the integrity of new pipeline facilities before putting them into service. This test water is treated to remove contaminants before being returned to its source.