UPDATE, Nov. 6, 9:37 p.m. PT — Michael Grenier, director of Area J in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD), reported that recent water tests confirm compliance with B.C.’s standards for drinking, wildlife, and irrigation as of Thursday. The TNRD water systems are operational, and private water system operators have been notified of the test outcomes. Ongoing water testing is scheduled.
Original story:
A spokesperson mentioned that small communities along Kamloops Lake in British Columbia are ceasing water intake from the lake following a spill of over 80,000 liters of aviation fuel on its shores during a train derailment last weekend.
The spill’s size estimate was revised upward by the province on Wednesday, prompting a request for water quality results from Michael Grenier, director of Area J in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.
Grenier expressed concerns, noting that the spill is significantly larger than initially predicted, which raises worries for communities relying on the lake and downstream for water supply.
He emphasized the importance of promptly receiving the water test results that the district had insisted on earlier.
The B.C. Environment Ministry confirmed that samples collected on Sunday and Monday have been assessed by the Interior Health authority.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) reported that the derailment occurred near Kamloops on Saturday night, about 20 kilometers west of the city, involving a locomotive and 17 rail cars, with two of them carrying aviation fuel.
Efforts are underway to clean up after a train derailed and spilled fuel near Kamloops, B.C. The locomotive from Canadian Pacific Kansas City was transporting fuel and gypsum when the incident occurred on Saturday evening.
The ministry reported on Tuesday that around 12,700 liters of aviation fuel had been released into the environment. However, on Wednesday, it was revealed that an additional 68,000 liters had escaped from a second rail car.
Three empty rail cars with residual gasoline are still at the derailment site, with one on the slope leading to the lake and the other two in the water.
Grenier anticipates negative contamination results from the tests but precautionary measures have been implemented nonetheless.
