Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services

Hay River (Mar 18/02) - Vandals breaking into to an isolated pumphouse would have been an annoying inconvenience a year ago.

With the impact of a security-conscious climate in the United States being felt globally, no longer is it a stretch to link such an ordinary break-in with potential terrorism, even in a town like Hay River.

Because of two recent break-ins into a small pumphouse building on a lonely stretch of highway on Great Slave Lake's shoreline, security is being introduced to protect Hay River's drinking water supply.

Measures include ending school tours of the water treatment plant, to divert attention from even the idea of sabotage.

Electronic alarms are being installed, and gear inside the vandalized pumping station has been "welded down" to impede access to the water system.

Hay River's mayor doesn't believe anyone would want to wipe out the town by adding anthrax spores to the water supply.

At the same time, he and other long-time residents are wary of one local man who has vowed revenge for alleged injustices.

"Where is the common sense line with type of stuff?" Mayor Duncan McNeill asks.

"It was vandals. But that says, 'OK, if they can get in, somebody else might be interested.' "

The pumphouse that was broken into no longer pulls in water from the lake, but it remains linked to the main system. McNeill says someone would have to know what they're doing in there to poison the water system.

As for international terrorists targeting Hay River, McNeill prefers to err on the side of caution.

"Why not pick an isolated town and kill everybody? How serious do we get?"

The town's decision was made without RCMP input. Sgt. Don Fisher of the Hay River detachment said there are no RCMP directives aimed at increasing security of water supplies, or any specific thing or place.

There has only been "a general call to increase awareness," he said.

Documents have crossed his desk asking officers to be more vigilant.

Police are still investigating the pumphouse break-ins.