Fuel Oil Spill Contained in Cedar Falls
Posted: June 22, 2009
CEDAR FALLS - On Monday, Viking Pump reported a fuel oil leak to a storm water drainage system near their facility on State Street in Cedar Falls.
The company estimates about 50 gallons of fuel oil may have reached the drainage system with a smaller amount reaching a nearby unnamed stream. However, the oil did not reach the Cedar River.
"This was a very good response effort," said Joe Sanfilippo, supervisor of the Manchester DNR field office. "I'm expecting the company to recover close to 100 percent of the oil."
Company staff has stopped the flow to the creek by placing absorbent material in the drainage ditch. They've also hired a company to pump up the oil and clean up the area.
The leakage was discovered Monday morning after staff found a broken gauge on a tank. Company staff suspects there is a leak in a sump pump or a second containment system, which allowed the leaked oil to reach the ditch.
DNR staff checked the site Monday afternoon to ensure proper containment and clean up. Even a small amount of petroleum products can be toxic to animals living in the stream.
The DNR may consider possible enforcement action.
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