Photo of the Pepacton Reservoir, taken near the East Delaware Tunnel on Tuesday, May 15. The photo shows yellow rubber booms surrounding the area of a small oil spill.
The source of a mysterious oil spill discovered on New York City's Pepacton Reservoir on April 29 has finally been found, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced on Friday. The source is still buried in the sediment, and has been covered to prevent further leakage while the agency investigates.
Earlier this week, divers were deployed on the reservoir to search the bottom for the source of the spill. A press release issued by the DEP today stated that the divers found a four-inch pipe protruding from the bottom of the reservoir, leaking a substance believed to be diesel fuel. The pipe is capped, but has several small holes that are leaking fuel. A second point on the bottom of the reservoir, about 12 inches away from the pipe, is also showing signs of leakage.
On Thursday, the DEP reports, divers placed a modified metal drum with a fitted valve and plug, weighed down to prevent it from floating to the surface, over the area of of the leaks. A surveillance dive on Friday morning confirmed that the containment system was still in place and appeared secure.
From the press release:
· Visual reconnaissance identified a second intact pipe protruding through the bottom sediment approximately 8 feet away from the first pipe. In addition, magnetometer readings suggest an object 4 feet in width.
· Booms will continue to be maintained as a precautionary measure while the effectiveness of the mitigation method is verified
· Plans are in progress to remove any residue that has already reached the surface of the water.
· State and Federal regulators have been apprised of the situation and DEP will continue to keep you informed.
In the town of Colchester, at the western end of the Pepacton, social media was ahead of the DEP's announcement. Today's press release from the DEP confirms a brief update that was shared by a local resident on the Colchester Community Facebook group on Thursday.
Earlier this week, DEP spokesman Chris Gilbride told the Watershed Post that the spill was not harming New York City water quality, and that water is not normally drawn from the Pepacton this time of year.
Gilbride also said that the incident should not impact the planned opening of the Pepacton to recreational boating for the first time on Memorial Day weekend, a much-anticipated event in the region.
