Following fuel oil leak, water will be sampled in Whiteford Township
WHITEFORD TWP. – The onsite drinking water supply will be sampled, starting Monday, in Whiteford Township. Bottled water will be available from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday at Whiteford Volunteer Fire Department, 9244 Whiteford-Center Road, for 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.
On Thursday afternoon, the Monroe County Health Department reporting a diesel fuel oil leak originating in the area of the intersection of US-23 and US-223 in Whiteford Township. The Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and MCHD staff were onsite Thursday working to contain the spill. The health department immediately began monitoring the city water supply.
Starting Monday, the health department said it will begin gathering resident contact information from those who have been affected by the leak.
“The sampling will begin at those residences that are most likely to be affected. Generally, these include those homes immediately adjacent to areas where an oil sheen was observed in the waterway. From there, the sampling may expand outward, depending on the results nearest the waterway,” Chris Westover, environmental health director for MCHD, said.
Residents living with an onsite drinking water supply (well water) immediately adjacent to North Branch Ottawa River (also known as Tenmile Creek moving south), may call or email the MCHD at 734-240-7900 or eh_frontdesk@monroemi.org to provide name, address, phone number and email address. Impacted residents will be contacted to set an appointment to collect drinking water samples.
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"The MCHD, along with the Michigan Departments of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and Health and Human Services will make a determination as sample results are received to determine if the sampling locations are to be expanded," Westover said.
To learn more, contact the Environmental Health Division at 734-240-7900 or eh_frontdesk@monroemi.org.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Following fuel oil leak, water will be sampled in Whiteford Township
