Gallons Of Oil Spilled In Little Sugar Creek, Cleanup Is Underway

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gallons of oil is making it’s way downstream of Little Sugar Creek.

“It’s very bad. You know, it’s killing the environment,” said Myers Park resident Noah Totty

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services says utility workers were boring under Morehead St when an equipment failure caused about 150 gallons of hydraulic oil to spill. Between 20 to 30 gallons of oil went into Little Sugar Creek around Medical Center Dr.

The spill happened on Monday.

“It’s definitely a bad thing that we don’t want to have happened. It negatively impacts the water quality in the stream and the life that lives there,” said  Water Quality Program Manager Rusty Rozzelle.

Booms were placed downstream to capture the oil. The nine booms will remain for several days.

“Unfortunately, some residual material has escaped through those booms and that’s what people are seeing,” explained Rozzelle.

The county is saying the pollution has no harmful impact on people. Officials will continue to monitor wildlife around the waterway. No impacts on aquatic life has been reported to this point.

Rozzelle says the county didn’t know about the spill until a citizen reported seeing the oil in the water.

The company responsible for spilling the oil will also be responsible for paying for the clean up.

Rozzelle says fines are a possibility pending an investigation.