It's no simple task to remove a tractor-trailer that's been submerged in Lake Nipigon for the past three weeks.
The vehicle, owned by a Quebec-based company, went off the road on Highway 11 on Jan. 12 and broke through the ice in the southern end of Orient Bay.
An estimated 500 litres of diesel fuel leaked into the lake, along with about 100 litres of various engine fluids.
Some area residents are worried their drinking water source has been contaminated.
But the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks said lab analyses of water samples show concentrations of contaminants are below ministry standards for drinking water, and also indicate there should be no adverse impact on aquatic life.
The ministry said the owner is taking appropriate action to contain, clean up and remediate the spill location, including hiring a qualified environmental remediation professional to oversee the process.
Absorbent marine booms were placed upstream and downstream of the accident site, and engine fluids left on the ice surface were removed.
The ministry said divers and two large cranes will be deployed to remove the tractor-trailer in the coming days, after completion of a bypass lane on the highway.
It said it's continuing to monitor the situation to ensure the trucking company is acting in compliance with environmental legislation.
