&EPA		
Fact Sheet: Water Issues
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Enbridge Oil Spill
Marshall, Michigan	August 19, 2010
On Monday, July 26, 2010, Enbridge Energy Partners LLP reported
that a 30-inch pipeline ruptured near Marshall, Mich. The company
estimates more than 800,000 gallons of crude oil leaked into
Talmadge Creek, a waterway that feeds the Kalamazoo River.
EPA has not been able to independently verify this number. The
spill has affected up to 30 miles of the Kalamazoo River. The spill
site, between Marshall and Battle Creek, includes wetlands,
residential areas, farmland and businesses.
Drinking water
Marshall and Battle Creek municipal water systems have not been
affected by the oil spill. To date, there have been no indications that
the spill has contaminated any municipal water supply system.
Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD) and
Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services (HCS) officials
have been evaluating the potential impact the spill has had on
private water wells. The health departments have been conducting a
systematic evaluation of private drinking wells located within 200
feet of either side of the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek. At
this point, no well contamination has been detected. As a precaution,
CCPHD and HCS are providing bottled water for drinking and
cooking to those who live in homes with wells in those areas.
Residents who have concerns about their private wells should
contact the Calhoun County Public Health Department, 269-969-
6341, or the Kalamazoo County Health Department, 269-373-5210.
Wells outside the 200-foot area on either side of the Kalamazoo
River are not likely to be affected by the spill since ground water
typically flows toward rivers. Irrigation activities are not expected to
affect the direction of the ground water flow or well quality outside
the 200-foot areas.
No well contamination has been found, but CCPHD and HCS will
continue to evaluate residents' well water in the affected area.
Impact on waterways
Some restrictions have been placed by county and state agencies on
water usage for Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. Specific
areas for the restrictions and advisories include downstream (west)
of 1-69 on the Kalamazoo River to the west end of Morrow Lake.
Sampling has shown no oil spill-related contamination below

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Morrow Dam to Lake Michigan. State and federal
government partners are conducting an intensive
investigation into surface water contamination
from the Enbridge pipeline release. The
investigation includes ongoing measurements of
the surface water quality and review of the
presence and movement of oil within the
Kalamazoo River system.
Agencies issue bans on water use
Kalamazoo County Health and Community
Services has issued a ban on surface water
activities on the Kalamazoo River as part of the
county's state of emergency, including swimming,
wading, fishing, boating, canoeing and kayaking.
Local health officials warn residents to avoid all
contact with water from the Kalamazoo River until
further notice.
Calhoun County Public Health Department has
issued a ban on the use of water in the county from
Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River for
irrigation and watering livestock. The agency has
also posted signs along the Kalamazoo saying the
river is closed for all swimming, boating and
fishing.
Michigan Department of Community Health
(MDCH) is advising people to not eat fish from
Talmadge Creek or the Kalamazoo River. MDCH
advises no one eat fish of any kind from these
waters where oil is visible or oily odors are
present. Do not eat any fish that smell of oil or
have oil on them.
MDCH is also advising people to not touch or
swim in the Kalamazoo River or Talmadge Creek
and avoid the general area of the spill.
These advisories are temporary and will remain in
effect until a determination is made by state and
county officials that the river and creek are safe for
activity. All pre-oil spill fish advisories continue
for other parts of the Kalamazoo River. More
information is available through the MDCH
website at http://www.michigan.gov/mdch.
What should you do if you get oil on your skin
or clothing?
•	Wash affected skin with soap and water.
Avoid using harsh detergents, solvents, or
other chemicals to wash oil from skin as
these may promote absorption of the oil
through the skin.
•	If you get oil on your clothing, wash in the
usual way but separated from other
clothing.
Response efforts
So far, containment measures have limited the
impact on the Kalamazoo River. To control the
spill as much as possible, EPA and Enbridge have
been placing containment and absorbent boom at
strategic points on the river. Boom is a barrier to
control spills on water. Containment boom keeps
the pollutant from spreading. Absorbent boom, in
addition to stopping the spread, soaks up the
contaminant.
The response also includes the use of vacuum
trucks and skimmer equipment. Vacuum trucks
literally suck the oil off the surface of the water.
The Mudpuppy II, EPA's newest research vessel,
has also been deployed to Morrow Lake and is
currently taking water and lake-bottom sediment
samples to assess for potential contamination from
the spill.
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