Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise will not be charged for an incident in which the hotel dumped treated water with traces of chlorine into Louise Creek.
Parks Canada concluded a four month investigation and determined there was no reason to press charges.

“Given the findings of the investigation, and in consultation with the crown prosecutor, there is no basis to pursue charges at this time,” wrote Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay park superintendent Pam Veinotte in a prepared statement. “The investigation to date uncovered no evidence to suggest that the discharge of water from the storm pipe in question caused any negative environmental impact on Louise Creek, no evidence of a contravention of environmental legislation and no criminal intent or action on the part of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,”

Instead, Parks wrote a letter to the Chateau Lake Louise advising them dumping treated water into the creek was not advisable.

“We asked the Chateau Lake Louise we do not want any treated water to enter Louise Creek,” Veinotte said.

The investigation stems from a Sept. 23 incident in which it was reported water allegedly, with a chlorine smell, was discharged from the Chateau Lake Louise through a storm pipe into Louise Creek.

But as a result of the incident, the iconic hotel will now install chlorine alarms with its water system to alert the hotel if chlorine levels get too high.

Jasper National Park Warden Jim Mammalis, who was on the investigation team, said there were very low levels of chlorine found in the creek. Tapwater from the hotel made its way into the sump pumps, which mixed with groundwater and was sent into the creek, he said.

“The range we found was between zero and .09 parts per million (ppm) of chlorine. Tapwater has .5 ppm of chlorine,” he said.

Park Wardens, Environment Canada experts and consultants completed extensive testing of the water up and downstream from the pipe in question, and only found trace amounts of chlorine.

Veinotte said the stormpipe in question always has water flowing out of it into the creek. About ten buckets worth of groundwater are pumped from the hotel grounds into the creek every day, for which the Chateau has a permit.

She stressed that Parks Canada takes the issue seriously, but the investigation is now closed.

“There is no evidence that they violated any laws or intended to do so. There was also no evidence of damage,” said Mammalis. “It wasn’t clear that that wasn’t allowed.”

Chlorine in higher levels acts as a disinfectant, and can kill bacteria, microbial species and fish.

“We’re satisfied by the way things are now,” Mammalis said.

Parks Canada spokeswoman Tania Peters said the creek is tested once a year, but last year it was tested between 10 and 11 times as part of various studies. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise also does independent testing.