Diesel fuel oil leak in Whiteford Township
WHITEFORD TWP. — The Monroe County Health Department has reported a diesel fuel oil leak originating in the area of the intersection of US-23 and US-223 in Whiteford Township. Water will be tested starting April 1 and bottled water will be available Monday.
Bottled water will be available from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday at Whiteford Volunteer Fire Department, 9244 Whiteford-Center Road, Whiteford Township residents who live in the vicinity of the leak. Water also was given out Saturday and Sunday. A limit of two cases of water available per household.
Letters will be hand delivered by staff from the Monroe County Health Department to homes in the area immediately adjacent to the North Branch Ottawa River (also known as Tenmile Creek moving south) from the US-23/US-223 intersection, extending near the state line to announce the intent to collect water samples from the residences.
Starting April 2, and extending through the week, representatives from the MCHD, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and an independent testing agency will be in the area to collect water samples.
"There is nothing that homeowners need to do for this testing," the health department said. "Representatives will collect a sample from an outside faucet, so the owner’s presence at their home is not necessary. However, if the home does not have an outside faucet, if the outside faucet has a different water source than the drinking water well or if the outside faucet is ‘treated,' other arrangements will need to be made to collect a sample from inside the home," the health department said. To make arrangements, call or email the MCHD at 734-240-7900 or eh_frontdesk@monroemi.org.
"MCHD will provide sample results to the homeowners once they are received. It is expected that the results will be available in no more than three days, unless an unforeseen circumstance causes a delay," the health department said.
The department and the other agencies will make a determination as sample results are received if the sampling locations are to be expanded.
“(On Thursday) A diesel oil sheen and smell was discovered from the point of origin and as far south as Hicker Road in the North Branch Ottawa River. Current efforts at containment include the placement of absorption booms in the NBOR near Erie and Sterns Road, along with vacuum trucks near the origin to contain and remove the contaminated water/sheen from entering the NBOR,” the MCHD said in the release.
For more information, contact the Environmental Health Division at 734-240-7900 or eh_frontdesk@monroemi.org.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Diesel fuel oil leak in Whiteford Township
