The Peninsula Streams Society is investigating after an undetermined substance spilled into Sidney’s Mermaid Creek, turning its waters a cloudy white Wednesday (March 29) evening.
Ian Bruce, the society’s executive coordinator, said the spill was discovered around 7:30 p.m. in the waterway, which runs through urbanized areas and flows out into Roberts Bay.
“We got a call that there was this white stuff coming out of the culvert where the creek comes out into Roberts Bay,” said Bruce. “We looked around and it looked like paint, smelled like paint, leading us to believe it is latex paint, but we are taking some samples into a local lab today to confirm what exactly it is. It’s really quite disturbing.”
Bruce said that just two weeks ago over 200 volunteer hours were spent planting more than 600 plants along the creek’s estuary as part of a larger $500,000 restoration project.
READ MORE: Sidney diverts $25K to Peninsula Streams Society for Mermaid Creek restoration
Bruce did some initial investigating on March 29 to see if he could identify the source, but so far it has not been located. As of Thursday (March 30) morning, the creek’s water has returned to its normal state, but he noted that could be a result of high tide blocking the source of the leak, and it may return at low tide.
He and his team will be continuing to monitor the creek’s water quality at low tide, and will begin looking for signs of environmental damage, though that may not be noticeable immediately.
If the substance turns out to be latex paint, Bruce said it has the potential to harm plants, insects and fish spawning in the area. Even though latex paint is considered less harmful than some other types, he said it remains important not to ever pour it down drains where it could end up in vulnerable watersheds.
In a statement, Sidney Chief Administrative Officer Randy Humble confirmed paint entered the city’s storm drain system from a residential painting project.
“Residents should take care when painting and performing property maintenance to ensure that harmful substances are not entering the town’s storm system. Municipal storm drains discharge into the ocean without prior treatment,” wrote Humble.
READ MORE: Victoria company fined $11,000 one year after bleach spill kills fish in Sidney
@JSamanski
justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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