![]() It will remain in place for the duration of the salvage operation. In an earlier statement by McKeil Maine on Tuesday, it stated a protective pollution boom has been deployed around the barge since Friday and will be expanded Tuesday to encapsulate a larger area. “Should additional contaminants enter the Bay, the municipality is prepared to declare a state of emergency and implement further procedures to protect the safety of the Picton-Bloomfield drinking water system,” said Quaiff. Water operators are monitoring the plant regularly for any evidence of contamination approaching the intake, and the municipality is prepared to stop taking water from the Bay if the situation requires it. In accordance with the Contingency Plan, the water system reservoirs have been filled in order to maximize the system’s ability to sustain any potential treatment plant shutdown. Since Friday, precautionary measures in accordance with the municipality’s water Operations Contingency Plan was put in effect at the Picton-Bloomfield Water Treatment Plant. Quaiff said at this moment in time, the municipality’s primary concern is for the protection of the Picton-Bloomfield drinking water system. ![]() “Given the proximity of the submerged vessel to the Picton-Bloomfield water intake, and the potential for contaminants to enter the water during the upcoming salvage phase, the risk- although believed to be quite low-was deemed sufficiently high to engage the emergency Control Group.” “According to the County’s Emergency Plan and provincial regulation, the emergency Control Group can be activated when there is heightened threat to the well-being of the community,” said mayor Quaiff. ![]() The group has been on high alert since Friday and is made up of mayor Robert Quaiff, CAO James Hepburn, Commission of Engineering, Development and Works Robert McAuley, Fire Chief Scott Manlow, the Ontario Provincial Police, public health representative and councillor Barry Turpin, County clerk Kim Whyte, social services and communications coordinator Lisa McLennan. In a press release on Tuesday, the County of Prince Edward stated in response to the recovery efforts mayor Robert Quaiff has activated the municipality’s Emergency Control Group as a precautionary measure. Both tanks are self-contained and inside the machinery space. There is believed to be approximately 1,200 litres of diesel and 100 litres of hydraulic fluid. Approximately 30 litres of substance released is being contained by pollution control equipment, and is expected to evaporate. There were no injuries and no loss of pollutants except for two five gallon (19 litre) buckets which were on the barge deck at the time. According to McKeil Marine, the company that chartered the barge, it was intended to be used as a temporary dock and work platform. On Friday, a barge owned by Galcon Marine partially sank while docked at Picton Terminals. Recovery efforts of a partially submerged barge in the Picton Harbour continue Tuesday with a comprehensive focus on containment of pollutants including the activation of the municipality’s Emergency Control Group. ![]() (Photo: Dave Tugwood/Facebook- Save Picton Bay) A barge partially sank near Picton Terminals in Picton Bay Friday.
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