Aquatic Protection
Maligne Lake has taken steps to prevent and minimize the potential adverse effects of accidental spills of fuel and other hazardous materials in and around the lake.
Enviro-tanks have been installed for fuel for cruise boats, at the diesel-powered generating station, and in the maintenance compound for bilge water and crankcase oil. These tanks are pumped out annually by a licensed recycling service. The fuel line from the boat fuel tank to the docks is a triple-containment line. The docks are equipped with floating, fuel-absorbing containment booms ready to be deployed immediately in the event of a spill. The docking piers at Spirit Island have been replaced. Tour boats and the generating station have been equipped with fuel spill kits.
In 2004, Maligne Lake replaced the aging and inadequate toilet facilities at the Spirit Island viewing area with a leading-edge solar-powered sewage treatment system that provides advanced secondary treatment. The facility comprises a small, water-tight, fiberglass septic tank filled with an engineered textile material in which anaerobic bacteria breaks down the sewage.
The system is low maintenance, consumes very little energy, produces no activated sludge, and does not require a septic field. Wastewater from the visitor facilities at the north end of Maligne Lake is directed to an existing sewage lagoon, the existing capacity of which exceeds the current and forecast future demand.
There is no discharge of sewage to the environment from either the Spirit Island or Maligne Lake day lodge sewage facilities.
Wildlife Protection
All on-site food and waste collection and storage facilities comply with applicable Parks Canada's regulations. The existing facilities at Maligne Lake provide animal-proof waste receptacles and blue boxes for collection of recyclables, including cardboard, tin, glass, and plastic. In addition, Maligne Lake staff collect litter around the parking lots and along park trails. Buckets for cigarette butt collection are available throughout the site.
Pursuit respects the Environmentally Sensitive Site exclusion area established by Parks Canada around the Maligne Lake outlet for the protection of Harlequin Duck habitat. Pursuit also provides interpretive content for visitors to encourage safe and responsible use and enjoyment of the wilderness, including an emphasis on respect for wildlife.