The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change’s Spills Action Centre received a call from the OPP on Sunday, November 15 reporting a spill of approximately 2,000 litres of diesel fuel at a private residence on Osborne Point Road in Lake of Bays.
Ministry staff responded and attended the site and confirmed that diesel fuel from a generator had entered Lake of Bays. A sheen was observed on the lake along the shoreline and in the area surrounding the dock of the property.
The spill was a result of a mechanical failure in the generator at the residence, which resulted in the over-topping of a diesel fuel tank. It was an auto-fill tank and the owners were not at the property when the mechanical failure occurred.
Ministry staff is overseeing cleanup efforts. These include skimming of the spilled material from the surface of the lake and removal of impacted soils on the property.
A private company from Barrie has been contracted to help with the cleanup at the owner’s expense.
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Fred Heinzler says
How much of this oil was recovered and how much damaged the lake?
The MOE only has jurisdiction so far from shore then it is Oceans and Fisheries that handles the rest.
Who is responsible for ensuring this doesn’t happen again?
Fred Heinzler
Dorset, Ontario
Corinne Island says
How is 2000 liters considered over topping???
Isobel Potts says
Excellent question!