North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Spill leads to changes
One year on from a major diesel spill on Lake Pupuke, a local body politician is reassuring the public that lessons have been learnt.
On the evening of June 22, 2016, Takapuna residents noticed a fuel smell at the southern end of Lake Pupuke, by morning, diesel was clearly visible across a large section of the freshwater lake. The spill was traced back to a North Shore Hospital generator. Auckland Council believe between 100 litres to 300L of diesel entered the lake.
Information provided to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board this year states three potential causes: the diesel filtering system, the diesel transfer system or human error.
Kaipatiki Local Board member Anne-Elise Smithson followed the incident closely . In a letter she wrote to the North Shore Times, prior to becoming a local board member, she was critical of the timeliness of the authorities response. ‘‘Will it take residents reporting headaches from the diesel smell, before a swift response is taken?’’ she wrote.
Having now accessed information provided to Auckland Council from an investigation into the spill, Smithson is confident that steps have been taken to prevent a similar contamination happening in the future. Smithson said the Waitemata DHB has made improvements to its generator maintenance plan and fuel transfer protocols, plus the frequency of monitoring and maintenance checks has increased. In addition, Beca has been commissioned to design changes to the automated alarm system and transfer systems. ‘‘Safeguards for the environment and people’s health always need to be top of mind. Thanks to public pressure, it looks like that lesson may have been taken to heart,’’ Smithson said.