A significant oil spill caused by a Saanich resident’s home heating oil tank has impacted the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary which is home to many at-risk species.
And unfortunately for this resident, the onus to pay for cleanup—which may be in the millions—will fall to him.
On January 27th, a fuel odour was reported in the vicinity of Swan Lake Road and the District of Saanich dispatched their staff to the complaint.
The District staff investigated the area searching for an oil spill and two days later, they located the source of the odour.
They were able to determine that the spill was coming from a nearby residence and estimated that up to 600 litres of residential heating oil may have been leaked into the protected wetland’s ecosystem.
According to Saanich, the District of Saanich undertook response actions once they located the oil and attempted to contain the spilled material.
To aid them in their efforts, an Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) with the Province attended the site and met with the District of Saanich, Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary staff, and the homeowner of the residence to sort out how this oil could be cleaned and the area remediated.
“The homeowner is in the process of hiring a qualified environmental response contractor to take over response actions and undertake assessments to determine if the wetland and lake were impacted,” reads an EERO statement on the spill.
According to municipal, provincial and federal laws, the person responsible for the oil spill in this situation is solely responsible for the cleanup.
However, if the homeowner in this case is deemed not responsible, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy may step in and take care of the costs.
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The latest update on the situation was provided by the Province on Wednesday, January 31st says that the homeowner has taken control of the situation and hired a response contractor to begin the expensive and arduous cleaning protocols.
The District of Saanich and the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary staff continue to monitor the progress and are ensuring the cleanup meets their expectations.
“Currently, the spilled material appears contained near the spill source and marshland,” reads the latest update.
“No spilled material has been identified closer to or in the lake. Response actions to further isolate the spilled material from the lake are a priority.”
The Province says that booms and absorbent material are being used.
The Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and an important part of stewardship and education regarding the native species of the region.
