ST. PAUL - On May 9, Town of St. Paul staff were called to action as a significant cleanup of an "unknown substance spill" was noticed following some rainy weather.
According to CAO Steven Jeffery, the unknown substance was later found to be something that was used to repair and seal driveways. The work was being done by a business that was not from St. Paul, and also did not have a business license.
"Alberta Environment was notified of the situation and was in approval of our remediation plan and procedure," said Jeffery, reporting to council on the situation during the May 23 meeting.
Jeffery noted that efforts were made to determine who the company responsible for the runoff was, but without a business license, it was a challenge.
He described the substance, which rain into the storm-water system, as a form of "tack oil."
As soon as the runoff was noticed, all required agencies were notified and action was taken to ensure the substance did not make its way into Upper Therien Lake. While many people may be under the impression that storm-water is treated before entering the lake, it is not, said Jeffery.
The substance had also been sprayed onto sidewalks in town, and cleaning the sidewalks took a significant amount of time, heard council.
Soaker pads and other items were required to ensure the substance didn't enter the nearby lake, along with a vac truck being used. The St. Paul Fire Department also responded to help with clean-up.
The company has now moved on from town.
During discussions, both Mayor Maureen Miller and CAO Jeffery offered a reminder to the public that when hiring a contractor for a job, they should ask if the company has a proper business license to operate in town.
