Following an underground petrol storage tank leak that occurred at a Stellenbosch BP in late June, BP South Africa confirmed that their internal monitoring systems indicate that there is no ongoing problem.
This was according to Jamie Amner, the operations manager at BP Merriman.
The Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue services were present at the scene after the leak was reported, said Craig van Reenen, assistant chief fire officer at Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue.
Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue can be seen responding to the underground petrol leak on 21 June. VIDEO: Supplied/Anonymous source
Treating the leak
Stellenbosch Municipality was made aware of the leak, which took place at the BP situated on the corner of Merriman Avenue and Andringa Street, said Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager for the Stellenbosch Municipality.
“Municipal engineers were sent to the site to investigate and meet with representatives of the station,” said Grobbelaar. “The station undertook to have the leak repaired by a specialist contractor.”
Excavation specialists were seen treating the source of the leak on 5 July, said a source within the Health and Safety Committee at Stellenbosch University (SU). The source requested anonymity.
The specialists were contacted by SMF News, but could not provide comment at the time of publication.
If an underground petrol storage leak reaches underlying groundwater, its negative environmental impacts could spread over a larger area, according to Prof Lingum Pillay, a lecturer at the department of chemical engineering at Stellenbosch University. The area where the leak initially occurred is currently cordoned off. PHOTO: Talia Kincaid
Hazardous effects
“I filled out an incident report because I got very, very dizzy [on the] day [of the leak],” said the source, who was present at the scene. The source saw campus health services after their exposure to the leak.
A leak could have negative health implications for those exposed to it, and “underground leaks can undoubtedly have severe negative impacts on both plant life and groundwater supplies, especially if the fluid is toxic and not easily biodegradable”, said prof Lingum Pillay, a lecturer at the department of chemical engineering at SU.
The authorities on scene allegedly told the source within SU that the leak occurred due to the recent floods, but that sufficient ventilation systems were established to manage the leak.
Due to the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act, the Cape Winelands District Municipal Fire Services would not provide further comment on the leak, according to Anesca Roodt, public relations officer for the Cape Winelands district municipality, via email correspondence with SMF News.
The underground leak, which took place at the BP on the corner of Merriman Avenue and Andringa Street, could allegedly be smelled days before the Fire and Rescue services were contacted, claimed a source who is on the Health and Safety Committee at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Talia Kincaid