Originally published at www.durhamregion.com on May 06, 2010 - 04:30 AM
PICKERING -- The Pickering operations department was quick to call its haz-mat team to address soap suds collecting in a Pickering water culvert Monday.
Resident Doris Hopper-Riede had called Pickering's customer care department when she noticed soap foam at the base of the culverts on Pine Creek. The culverts go under the bridge leading from Douglas Park to the townhouse complex off Radom Street, in the area of Liverpool Road and Bayly Street.
Ms. Hopper-Riede was afraid the soap would eventually make its way into Frenchman's Bay.
The City contracts out a haz-mat team, GFL Liquid Waste Division Environmental Services Inc., to address situations involving hazardous materials. GFL Liquid Waste Division got there in time to contain the suds with a boom about 30 or 40 feet down from the culvert, said John Hannah, superintendent of operations.
And luckily, not enough soap had gotten into the water to cause environmental damage, he said.
He said "while anything other than natural is not good" in the water, it was such a small amount that it was not deemed environmentally dangerous. They could have dropped in a solution to dilute the water, but the foam was only about an inch off the surface.
"We chose not to do that because we didn't see that there was an environmental problem," he said.
Officials are unsure of where the soap came from. Mr. Hannah said it could have been from an individual washing their car in the driveway, which is permitted.
"Because it was deemed not to be environmentally a problem, we did not investigate it," he said.
Mr. Hannah said while the situation ended up being minor, he does appreciate the calls that come into customer care.
"The public is our eyes and ears out there," he said.
Ms. Hopper-Riede was grateful the soap was contained quickly but feels more can be done.
"I think the City of Pickering should identify the source of this water pollution and put a stop to it at its source," she said.
