Suncor releases water from oil sands pond into Athabasca River

CALGARY, Alberta, March 26 (Reuters) - Suncor Energy Inc , Canada's No. 1 oil producer, released water from a holding pond at its oil sands project into the Athabasca River, Alberta's environment department said on Tuesday.

Alberta Environment said it does not yet know whether the water that was sent by pipe into the river contained toxic materials. Samples from the pond are being sent for analysis and it will take at least a day before results are returned.

Wayne Wood, a spokesman for Alberta Environment Minister Diana McQueen, said the volume of water sent into the river has not yet been determined.

(Reporting by Scott Haggett; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

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Keywords: SUNCOR OILSANDS/SPILL