Mayor Don Scott said he will seek disaster aid from higher levels of government while residents have been told they may need to boil their tap water for months.
READ MORE: Boil Water Advisory in effect till September 2020
Scott said he spent the weekend walking around downtown Fort McMurray as evacuation orders were lifted and about 13,000 residents were allowed to return to their homes.
“I have first-hand seen the heartbreak that people are going through and the devastation that was caused by this flood,” he said Monday.
“This community needs help. We are going to need provincial help … and, if possible, we would like to see the federal government top up any provincial assistance, because the devastation is pretty significant.”
Scott estimated there’s more than $100 million in damage.
No one from the provincial or federal government could immediately be reached for comment.
“We are now fully in recovery phase,” said Scott Davis, the municipality’s director of emergency management.
Residents returned to soaked walls and muddy basements on the weekend. Some of the homes won’t be habitable because of water damage and the mayor said many residents don’t have insurance.
“There is a huge issue in this region,” said Scott.
Officials said a boil water advisory brought in during the flooding could remain in effect until September for all neighbourhoods in Fort McMurray, Anzac, Draper, Gregoire Lake Estates and Saprae Creek Estates.
Matthew Hough, deputy chief administration officer, said the plant itself is safe, but the river water went the wrong way down an overflow pipe and mixed with the city’s drinking water.
“We are now required to clean all 375 kilometres of our pipes and that is going to take time,” he explained. “The river water has created a film-like substance on the inside of our pipes.”
Hough said all the pipes will have to be cleaned with chlorine before the advisory can be lifted.
Premier Jason Kenney has said residents of northern Alberta forced from their homes due to flooding will receive emergency payments. Evacuees can apply for $1,250 for each adult and $500 for each child.
The province said the program will cost about $11.7 million for one week.
