The County of Prince Edward is updating the community on the current status of the Marsh Creek contamination incident that occurred on Tuesday, May 5.
Remediation to date has included:
- Immediate deployment of adsorbent booms at several locations along Marsh Creek and at the outflow to Picton Bay on Monday, May 5. This occurred as soon as staff were notified of the spill. All available County materials were deployed. Additional materials were deployed by a remediation contractor.
- All effected catch basins were cleaned out and pressure washed by a remediation contractor.
- Skimming of sheen was undertaken from numerous points along the creek and in the bay.
- Testing was completed at the outflow during the spill to understand the nature of the contamination. Staff determined that the material was diesel fuel from a spill on Picton Main Street near the intersection of Bowery Street.
Proactive testing of the water is ongoing. Visual and olfactory (smell) evidence from an inspection conducted on May 13 showed that the majority of the spill has been removed, adsorbed, or dissipated. Environmental samples have been collected to confirm this observation. Additional surface water testing will be undertaken as recommended by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
Given the absence of free phase petroleum from the creek, adsorbent booms are no longer required for environmental protection. The booms will be removed in the next few days pending contractor availability. This approach has been endorsed by MECP staff.
Drinking water supplied by the Picton Water Treatment Plant remains safe for consumption. Monitoring of the water supply will continue throughout the incident response.
MECP is investigating the cause of the spill. Anyone with information is asked to contact MECP by filing a report online or calling 1.866.663.8477. You can remain anonymous.
For more information, contact the County of Prince Edward at 613.476.2148 ext. 1023, 613.962.9108 ext. 1023, or info@pecounty.on.ca.
Please note: The County of Prince Edward provides this information as a service to the general public. While we do our best to provide accurate information, construction projects and associated service disruptions are subject to change based on weather, road, traffic, and other uncontrollable conditions.