3 Weeks After Jet Fuel Spill, Water Sampling Continues
via Puslinch.ca
UPDATE FROM THE MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION AND PARKS – FUEL
SPILL – FEBRUARY 8, 2019
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has directly provided the following update:
Point of Loss (area adjacent to 401 up to Aberfoyle Creek)
Delineation of the impacted area adjacent to the 401 continues. A series of tanks are
being used to store impacted water, pumped from the soil extraction trenches, which
will be pumped out nightly when access to the area is permitted. Removal of impacted
soil continues to be removed off-site for treatment.
Aberfoyle and Mill Creek
The consultant is exploring options to install a water treatment system at Concession 2
in order to eliminate the complete closure of the road.
Containment booms continue to be monitored daily and are replaced as needed.
Free product continues to be collected at Concession 2 and removed as needed.
An under ice assessment is being completed in areas of the creek that remain frozen. A shoreline assessment of public and private properties is underway to identify areas of the creek where jet fuel has accumulated, and booms remain in place to collect any product that travels downstream.
The melting of the ice is assisting crews with visual observations. Once a full assessment
of the shoreline is completed the consultant will be providing a detailed plan on how to
address areas of impact and propose longer term monitoring.
Slight hydrocarbon odours continue to be observed at Shade’s Mill Reservoir outlet,
however no visual observation of sheen or free product has been made to date.
To date no impacts on wildlife have been confirmed.
The Ministry continues to be involved to ensure any environmental impacts are properly
addressed.
Surface water samples continue to be collected at multiple points along Aberfoyle and
Mill Creek, and the consultant is currently preparing an assessment of all sample results
collected to date for ministry review.
According to Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, a consulting company continues to conduct surface water sampling several times per week near Shade’s Mill Reservoir, Aberfoyle Creek and Mill Creek, following a jet fuel spill that took place several weeks ago.
Officials with the City of Cambridge said that the spilled fuel seeped into Aberfoyle Creek and has made its way as far as Mill Creek. The Region of Waterloo had to close down two wells as a “precautionary measure.”
The ministry says the consulting company is still assessing private property along Aberfoyle and Mill Creek for any potential environmental impacts…
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