Colquitz River oil spill traced back to Saanich home
CTV
Saanich municipal workers are monitoring the Colquitz River after an estimated 600 litres of heating oil spilled from a residential storage tank.
Saanich municipal workers are monitoring the Colquitz River after an estimated 600 litres of heating oil spilled from a residential storage tank.
The district's public works division responded around 4:30 p.m. Friday after a strong fuel smell was reported in the area of Hyacinth Park.
Municipal crews observed evidence of oil in the Colquitz River and immediately installed protective booms to control the spill, according to Saanich spokesperson Kelsie McLeod.
The district workers traced the spill back to a home on Snowdrop Avenue, where an aboveground storage tank was found to have a hole in the bottom.
More spill-control equipment was installed at the home's property line to prevent runoff, according to the district.
"Staff spoke to the homeowner who had just filled the tank that morning," McLeod said in a statement to CTV News. "The owner contacted the oil company, who removed the remaining fuel from the tank."
The spill-control measures will remain in place for most of the week or until no more fuel is detected by staff, the district said on Monday.
