Local
Atrium Health ordered to pay for cleanup of diesel spill in Briar Creek
Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services says Atrium Health must fund remediation after at least 800 gallons of red-dye diesel spilled into Briar Creek on Sunday. Charlotte officials are warning residents to avoid the water and keep pets away until the sheen and odor clear.
CHARLOTTE â Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services has determined that Atrium Health is responsible for cleaning up a diesel fuel spill that contaminated Briar Creek, ordering the health system to pay for remediation and face a formal notice of violation.
The spill, which involved red-dye diesel, released at least 800 gallons into the creek on Sunday, according to county estimates. Storm Water Services said the notice of violation will include a remediation plan that Atrium Health must follow. Any fines will be calculated only after the full scope of the incident is evaluated, the county said.
The city of Charlotte issued a public warning advising residents to avoid contact with the creek and to keep pets away until the water no longer shows the dyeâs color or gives off a fuel smell.
The incident has drawn attention from federal regulators as well; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken the lead on the spill investigation, though county storm water officials are overseeing the local enforcement action.
Briar Creek is a tributary of the larger McAlpine Creek watershed, which flows through heavily populated areas of south Charlotte. Diesel fuel can harm aquatic life and pose health risks to people and animals exposed to contaminated water.
Atrium Health has not publicly commented on the countyâs determination. The health system operates multiple hospitals and medical facilities in the Charlotte region.
Storm Water Services said it will continue monitoring the creek as the cleanup proceeds. Residents who notice unusual odors or discoloration in the water are urged to report them to the county.