CORNWALL – The Canadian Coast Guard said Monday there was a weekend spill of fuel oil in the St. Lawrence River from the work tug LCM 131.
“The fuel (approximately 40 liters) was unrecoverable and created very light sheen which stretched as far as the marker buoy in the main channel, at the end of Pilon Island,” said spokesman J.J. Brickett in an email to Cornwall Newswatch.
The spill happened on Saturday.
“No diesel made it as far as Colquhoun Island. The contractor (ECRC) responded immediately, as did the Canadian Coast Guard,” the superintendent of environmental response wrote.
Water consuming advisory back on for Akwesasne islands
Due to the fuel spill on Saturday, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Department of Health put its “No Not Consume Advisory” back in place for several islands.
It covers the original islands that were part of the advisory (Hamilton, Pilon, Calquohoun, Dickerson) but also five more islands (Clark, Stanley, Jacobs, Renshaw, Little Hog).
There’s concern about fuel still in the water and households on the nine islands are being advised not to use the water and not to swim in it.
The MCA plans to keep the advisory in effect until the recovery of the tugboats is complete.
Water advisory for South Glengarry
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit issued a “Do Not Use Water” advisory for households that draw their water from the St. Lawrence River.
The advisory will be in effect starting 8 a.m. Tuesday and covers homes from Glen Walter to South Lancaster.
It does not apply to homes on a municipal drinking water system or deep wells.
Recovery to begin Tuesday morning
The recovery of the fuel oil from the Lac Manitoba is expected to start Tuesday morning, the Coast Guard said.
There is roughly 9,000 liters of diesel fuel on board the sunken tugboat, which is resting in roughly 15 feet of water.
The salvaging is being coordinated by Nadro Marine, the owner of the Lac Manitoba.
The work is expected to take two days.
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