Walpole Island First Nation is urging resident to conserve water and to not swim in the St. Clair River after a train derailment in Sarnia over the weekend.
Shortly before Noon on Sunday, August 4, 2024, Walpole officials posted on social media urging resident to “please conserve water until further notice.
“Due to a train derailment in Sarnia Ontario, water conservation for Walpole Island is in effect. Please conserve water by limiting household water use, i.e. dishwasher, laundry, etc. Walpole Island First Nation is working on getting water shipments to the community as soon as possible. Notice will be sent out when issue is resolved,” Walpole Island officials stated.
Shortly after Noon on Sunday, Walpole officials also stated “due to the train derailment in Sarnia Ontario” swimming on Walpole Island was not recommended during this time.
Just after 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Walpole Island officials shared a letter from Victoria Chatten, Environmental Public Health Officer with Indigenous Services Canada.
Chatten said in her letter on the evening of August 3, 2024 she was notified by the Ministry of Environment Spills Action Center of a fuel car derailment and diesel spill near Vital Street in Sarnia, Ontario.
“Additionally a sheen was reported on the St. Clair River near the Suncor refinery shortly thereafter,” Chatten stated in the letter.
“Containment occurred immediately and multiple booms were placed downstream in the river to contain the reported sheen.”
Chatten added at 8:20 p.m. on August 3. 2024, the Walpole Island Water Department closed the Walpole Island Water Treatment Plant intake out of precautionary measures until further information could be obtained.
As of early morning August 4, 2024 the Spills Action Centre reported that the booms were successful and tt was stated that all contaminants were contained to the original reported site, Chatten wrote.
“Clean-up crew have been onsite and in the water, and no sheen has been reported downstream the original sheen site at this time,” Chatten said in her letter.
“There has been no visual observation of contaminates making it past the booms. Therefore at this time there is no apparent risk from the originally reported sheen to residents of Walpole Island.”
Chatten said should any resident of Walpole Island identify pollution incidents they should immediately report to the Ministry of Environment Spills Action Center by calling 1-866-MOE-TIPS.
“Additionally any questions in regards to environmental public health should be addressed to the Walpole Island ISC Environmental Public Health Officer, Mahendren Chinniah at Mahendren.chinniah@sac-isc.gc.ca or 519-200-5260,” Chatten wrote.
“If there is an environmental public health emergency please contact our after-hours our on-call line at 1-855-407-2676.”
We’ll provide more information as it becomes available.
