DEP Investigating Heating Oil Spill in Ferguson Township

Heating oil delivered to the wrong home was accidentally pumped into a western Ferguson Township stream, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP was contacted on Saturday for remedial response and investigation after a report of a sheen on the surface of a small, unnamed tributary to Beaver Branch and pools of red-dyed oil.

Investigation found the oil came from a home on Minnesota Street in Pennsylvania Furnace that mistakenly received a delivery of heating oil. The home no longer uses heating oil and it was subsequently discharged into the basement where a sump pump then pumped some of it into the stream.

DEP Press Secretary Jamar Thrasher wrote in an email that there are no local surface water drinking water sources downstream.

“The area is in Karst geology (limestone) so out of an abundance of caution, DEP did notify Rock Springs Water Company who operates a groundwater source downstream of the incident,” Thrasher wrote.

He also wrote that the nature of the oil minimizes environmental impacts.

“While a release of heating oil is never a positive outcome, one mitigating factor is that heating oil floats which minimizes the acute impacts to aquatic life and allows for the use of absorbent pads to aid in the collection of product,” Thrasher wrote.

DEP is providing oversight to a cleanup contractor procured by the supplier and is requiring additional well sampling. Thrasher added that a small amount of oil can cause an easily visible sheen on water and that the sump pump is no longer discharging the fuel.

“At this point the duration of the cleanup is not known but absorbent pads and other mitigating procedures will continue to be utilized to remove any sheen or product,” Thrasher wrote.

The investigation is ongoing and it has not yet been determined if the responsible party will face penalties.