Fewer than 4,500 litres of gasoline may have spilled underground, investigation reveals

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Excavation work that happened Sept. 1 on the website of an underground gasoline spill in Charlottetown appears to point not as a lot product leaked out as initially thought, stated the provincial Atmosphere, Vitality and Local weather Motion Division.

Nobody with the province was obtainable for an interview on Sept. 1, however Jill Edwards, spokesperson from the division, emailed a prolonged assertion to SaltWire Community on the spill that was reported Aug. 31.

The Petro-Canada station, positioned on the nook of College Avenue and Belvedere Avenue, reported a lack of 4,500 litres of gasoline from its underground storage system.

The division stated an trade professional was introduced in on Sept. 1 and excavated the positioning, in addition to recovered some gasoline in a protecting sump.

“This gasoline was eliminated, the defective infrastructure was repaired, the whole underground piping system was examined and all of the infrastructure and security measures had been confirmed to be working correctly,’’ the province stated within the e mail. “Upon additional investigation, the proprietor (of the station) has additionally reported … that it seems that the pc system, which tracks volumes on the station, could have malfunctioned, thereby inflicting the reported lack of gasoline to be overstated.’’

“…That it seems that the pc system, which tracks volumes on the station, could have malfunctioned, thereby inflicting the reported lack of gasoline to be overstated.’’ • Deparment of Enviroment, Vitality and Local weather Motion Division

The division stated that is nonetheless unconfirmed, and an unbiased guide is being introduced in to evaluate diagnostics on the pc system.

The station’s proprietor instructed the division that there was a gas supply on Aug. 27 the place a lack of product was seen.

The emailed assertion additionally indicated that the division doesn’t have “a lot of a job presently’’ however might be stored knowledgeable by periodic checks through the cleanup course of.

SaltWire Community additionally contacted Petro-Canada’s guardian firm, Suncor Vitality Merchandise Partnership in Calgary, Alta., on Sept. 1 to ask about doable results on close by properties and waterways.

Suncor indicated in an e mail it could reply however none was acquired by deadline.

Charlottetown Coun. Mitchell Tweel, chair of council’s surroundings and sustainability committee, stated the problem falls below the provincial authorities’s jurisdiction and town has not been engaged.

“We have now all the boldness on this planet the province will make it possible for all the standards and all the procedures are adopted,’’ Tweel instructed SaltWire Community on Sept. 1. “We might be monitoring the scenario very intently, whether or not or not it’s from a water and sewer perspective or from a protecting providers perspective.’’

Mayor Philip Brown stated the province and Suncor are working co-operatively on the matter.

“That is an environmental situation, and they’re going to do their due diligence,’’ Brown stated.