WATERBURY–The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to a residential oil spill on Monday after reports that the oil was spilling into a nearby water source.
The Waterbury Fire Department requested DEEP’s Emergency Response Unit to respond to the Exchange Place Towers on Center Street in Waterbury. The oil spill occurred when the oil storage tank was being refilled by the oil company, Santa Fuel.
About 500 gallons of fuel was found on the basement floor in the building, which impacted a sump pump that discharges water into the catch basin network. That catch basin network then discharges water into the Great Brook, which leads into the Naugatuck River.
Besides the 500 gallons found in the basement, an additional 100 gallons had reached surface waters, but Waterbury Fire and DEEP personnel were able to contain most of it at the point where the brook meets the river, meaning the river received little impact.
No other oil appears to have spilled into the brook.
A contractor was hired by Santa Fuel to clean up the spill in both the basement and from the surface water. After the fuel was recovered, the company said it would flush the catch basin network. A boom would be left in place until the next major rainfall to ensure no further issues.
DEEP will investigate more into how the spill occurred.
