Posted: July 24, 2015
BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -
Homes and businesses served by the Shenango Water Treatment Plant are being asked to conserve water until further notice due to a spill in the area.
Hazmat crews have been on the scene of a crude oil spill reported Friday morning along the Shenango River near North River Road in Sharon, Pennsylvania.
Although authorities say the spill has been contained, Jim Willard, Western Area Manager for Aqua of Pennsylvania tells 21 News that operations a the Shenango Water plant have been shut down until investigators give them the "all-clear" allowing them to resume water intake.
Until then, Aqua customers in the area are being asked to conserve.
"Because we are not producing and treating water we are riding on the storage volume in our tanks right now. That means we need to conserve that water to get us through this time period before we can bring the intakes back online," says Willard.
The affected service area is listed below:
Mercer County:
City of Farrell, City of Hermitage, City of Sharon, Coolspring Township, E.
Lackawannock Township, Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Lackawannock Township, Mercer Borough, Shenango Township, West Middlesex Borough, Wheatland Borough, Wilmington Township, and Sharpsville Borough.
Lawrence County:
New Wilmington Borough, Pulaski Township, Wilmington Township.
Trumbull County:
Brookfield Township, Hubbard Township, City of Hubbard.
The source of the spill is believed to be from an oil well across the state line along Orangeville and Thompson Sharpsville Roads in Brookfield.
The oil made its way into a tributary of the Shenango River.
The Ohio EPA says it is coordinating hazmat efforts in Trumbull County.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Health is monitoring cleanup efforts at the Shenango River.
The Brookfield Fire Department, Hermitage Fire Department, Sharon and Transfer Fire Department, as well as state authorities, are investigating the situation.
Authorities estimate the oil had been leaking for about 24 hours. Approximately 500 gallons had escaped from the tank.
According to a statement from Congressman Tim Ryan, the U.S. EPA informed his office that the spill entailed 1,700 gallons.
The owner of the well is Big Sky Energy out of New Concord, Ohio.
The president of that company, Robert Barr, tells 21 News the bottom of the tank had rusted out, leading to the leak.
He says his company will pay for clean-up costs he estimates to reach around $40,000.