Diesel Spill Turns Columbia Creek Red, Leaks Into Storm Drain
A diesel fuel spill that turned a tributary of the Congaree River in South Carolina red has been traced to a government contractor whose crews were replacing a generator at the Strom Thurmond federal building.
Pyramid Contracting of Irmo is listed in a federal database of oil spills as responsible and the U.S. General Services Administration said a contractor assumed responsibility for the spill, reported The State. As a result, cleanup efforts were launched after the leak occurred Dec. 3.
According to Jim Ott, a senior project manager with Pyramid, a subcontractor hired by Pyramid allowed the diesel to leak.
Diesel never actually reached the Congaree River and the fuel has been cleaned up. State regulators initially said 800 gallons leaked onto the ground and into a storm drain, and emergency response crews found that storm water pipes and drainage conduits connect to Columbia Creek from the source of the release.
A General Services Administration spokesman said the agency is monitoring impacts of the spill and working with the contractor to identify causes of the spill.
According to Ott, only about 200 gallons actually got into the creek, and the rest of the diesel was contained at the site where it spilled, reported The State.
The leak occurred as the subcontractor was removing service lines that served an old diesel generator at the Strom Thurmond building. The diesel-powered generator is being replaced with a natural-gas fired generator, noted Ott, reported The State.
Diesel was removed from the stream within 72 hours and there was no impact to wildlife or the environment, according to Ott.
