KAWARTHA LAKES-The Ministry of the Environment is monitoring the clean up of a 900 litre oil spill on Bowen Road near Washburn Island on January 8th.
Officials say a fuel company contacted the ministry’s Spills Action Centre about a leaking residential oil tank on Bowen Road. “The ministry takes spills very seriously. When a spill occurs, we work to identify any potential environmental impacts and determine appropriate next steps.” Gary Wheeler, Ministry of the Environment told Kawartha 411.
The Spills Action Centre contacted the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) as the regulatory agency responsible for on-site fuel handling and storage. TSSA staff went to the site and ordered the property owner to confirm clean-up of the spilled fuel oil.
City of Kawartha Lakes’ staff confirmed that the spill had migrated off property and contacted the ministry. “Ministry staff visited the site on numerous occasions over the last week and confirmed the presence of oil in the nearby lake.” said Wheeler. Although it’s unkown how much of the oil seeped into the lake. “While there is no indication that any residential drinking water systems are contaminated, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit issued a drinking water advisory for ten residences on Washburn Island as a precautionary measure.”
A contractor, hired by the property owner’s insurance company is in the process of cleaning up the spilled fuel oil. Ministry staff attended the site again on January 24, 2018 and confirmed that the spill clean-up work is proceeding well.
Ministry staff say they will continue to closely monitor the clean-up activities to ensure the spill is properly addressed, including any impacts to Lake Scugog.
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