Second paint spill of the summer at Hoy Creek

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DESCRIPTION - Hoy Creek running milky - looks like paint in the water coming from a culvert Trail off of Walton Ave - first culvert just before the bridge
LOCATION - Hoy Creek - trail off Walton
REPORTED - 09/08/2022 03:08:19 PM
PHOTO taken at 6 p.m.

The City of Coquitlam has advised the Society of another paint spill in Hoy Creek. The report came in at 3 p.m. on Sept. 7 and it was noted at the same location as the spill on Aug. 21.

We have been told that "Environment and Public Works Staff were dispatched and were able to identify the source of the spill. It was a single-family home that had completed exterior painting work and then poured the remaining paint/paint water directly into the catch basin. Staff have educated the homeowner and enforcement action will be taken. The catch basin is being vacuumed out and there is a boom at the outfall, but unfortunately, there is still some contaminated water making its way downstream (very slowly). "

An HSWS volunteer took this photo at 6 p.m. We continue to monitor our coho smolts at the hatchery with the new Flowlink water monitoring system.

The residents were fined $500.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which include chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc. Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

If you have information related to this spill, or to report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Paint Spill Reported in Hoy Creek off Walton Avenue

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Photo taken at 7:15 p.m. two and a half hours after it was reported to the City of Coquitlam.

A spill in Hoy Creek was reported to the City on Monday, August 16. Thanks to a resident who posted information on a Facebook community group, the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was alerted. A volunteer of the Society reported it to the government and this photo was taken at 7:15 pm. This is the inflow area off Walton Ave east of Walton School on Hoy Trail.

On Tuesday, August 17, the City of Coquitlam provided the following update:

We received a report at 4:41 pm that Hoy Creek was running white and cloudy. Staff from both utilities and environment were immediately dispatched.

Staff believe the substance was paint. The boom at the Walton outfall was able to contain some of the substance, but some of it settled onto the bottom of the creek at the Walton outfall and is still there today.

Unfortunately despite having three staff working on the response, they were not able to trace the spill. They did a thorough patrol through the catchment areas and couldn’t find any leads. There were also no traces left in the storm main.

They checked the hatchery and the water was clear and there were no signs of harmed fish at the outfall or downstream. We checked FlowLink and it looks like turbidity at the hatchery increased to about 12.0 NTU around 7:00 pm yesterday.

Staff will continue to look out for any potential sources (paint contractors, construction/renovation work, signs of spills into catch basins etc). It is also possible that the washout was on private property through an onsite drain or perimeter drainage. It would all tie into the storm main, but would be difficult to catch unless it was actively occurring.

This screen shot was taken via the Flowlink water monitoring system. The sensor is down beside the hatchery, quite a ways downstream from the spill.

Fish being held in the outside rearing pond were monitored after and no fish deaths were reported at the hatchery.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which include chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc. Nothing but rainwater should go down storm drains.

If you have information related to this spill, or to report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

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Photos taken on Aug. 18, two days after the spill. It was great to see fish swimming around in the same area.

Fish Kill in Hoy Creek South of Lasalle Place

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Photo of water at the bridge adjacent to the hatchery around 10:30 a.m., taken by a hatchery volunteer.

A milky substance was observed in Hoy Creek and was reported to the City of Coquitlam the morning of Tuesday, May 11.  

The City provided the following report:

”An investigation and cleanup work was carried out throughout the day to prevent further impacts to the creek. There was also an earlier incident of a surcharging sewer manhole that also impacted the creek on the same day.

 At around 8:30 a.m., a sewer manhole was surcharging at Erskine and Brewster.  A vactor truck was sent to the site to flush and clean up the area.  Around the same time, a report was received regarding a brown, odorous sludge seen in Hoy Creek west of White Pine Place. Engineering staff checked this site shortly after but the creek was running clear by the time they arrived.

 At around 10:30 a.m. the City received another report regarding Hoy Creek. A member of the public advised that the water near the hatchery looked milky. Engineering staff inspected the creek from the aquatic complex (CCAC) downstream past the hatchery and observed the creek by the hatchery having a milky colour, but downstream the creek was running clear.  They also noted that the fish in the creek were swimming about and did not look like they were impacted. 

Further inspection was conducted downstream nearest the south end of Lasalle Place where staff identified a soapy substance at an outfall and observed about 15–20 small dead fish in a tributary of the creek.  They tried to trace the source upstream and noticed a strong acidic smell in one of the manholes, so they flushed out the storm main in that area to ensure that the acidic smelling substance did not continue to impact the creek.  It was not clear to the attending staff whether this fish kill incident near the south end of Lasalle Place was related to the reported milky substance by the hatchery, and the investigative and cleanup work concluded at around 4 p.m.”

Please be mindful – everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in. Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

• City of Coquitlam Engineering 24 hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

• Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

• Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Fish Kill Reported in Hoy Creek

Submitted photo

A fish kill in Hoy Creek was reported to Hoy/Scott Watershed Society and the City of Coquitlam on Sunday, April 12 after dead fry were seen on the bottom of the creek.

The city reported to the Society that their staff attended the creek on Sunday and went out again an additional two times this week. Approximately 20 – 30 fish were observed dead on Sunday with no new reports since then.

The incident appeared to localized in the stretch of the Hoy Creek around Hialeah Court and Woodbine Place.

There were no indications of contaminants (no smell, nothing observed in the creek, etc.) and there were smaller fry and water striders observed upstream and downstream of the dead fish.

There is always the possibility that someone discharged chlorinated water into the storm drain while cleaning their swimming pool or hot tub, but the chlorine evaporates fairly quickly and is very difficult to trace.

City staff also reported the incident to the Provincial Environment Officer who didn’t believe there was any point in taking a sample of the water or dead fish given that the contaminant was already gone.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which includes chemicals used for cleaning hot tubs and pools, etc.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

Click here to read Home Tips for Healthy Streams