THUNDER BAY – City officials responded to a suspected hydrocarbon spill in McVicar Creek last week.
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds found in fuels like gasoline, oil, and diesel. The investigation was called off two days later without identifying the source, the volume, or the substance released.
The city was first alerted to the issue on the morning of July 22, following a report from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
"Staff worked for several hours in heavy rain, but as it got darker, they couldn’t find the source," said David Warwick, Superintendent for Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection with the City of Thunder Bay.
City staff were dispatched to the scene, in the Castlegreen area, and observed a sheen on the water's surface, indicating possible hydrocarbon contamination. An environmental inspector was also brought in to conduct sampling if necessary, but no sample was ultimately collected.
“We couldn’t find where it was coming from, and we could not estimate the volume that was spilled into the river,” Warwick said. “At that point, it was assumed to be contaminated runoff that had gone into the river, creating the sheen on the water.”
On July 23, additional staff were deployed to resume the search, but again came up empty-handed. Health inspector Erin Hudson was involved in both days of the investigation.
"It's suspected to be hydrocarbons, but we don't know for sure because we never sampled," Warwick added.
The investigation was subsequently closed, with officials unable to determine the source or chemical makeup of the substance.
"Anything that spills into the river is not good for the ecosystem," Warwick said. He emphasized that the city takes these types of incidents seriously, even when the cause remains unclear.
