Officials: Fuel Spill Poses No Threat to Drinking Water

Update: 4:29 p.m. Wednesday

Officials say they’re not concerned about there being any impact to drinking water after a Public Service pipe burst Tuesday night on N. Monroe St., spreading oil across several hundred feet of roadway and slipping into storm drains.

The leak, which occurred on N. Monroe St. near Morningside Rd., discharged about 3,000 gallons of mineral oil into storm drains, responders said Wednesday. The steel pipe, an electric transmission line that runs from Waldwick, is coated in mineral oil, and is being repaired by PSE&G, which controls the line.

The oil is not considered toxic, and residents were notified of the leak, according to officials. N. Monroe from Fairmount Rd. to Morningside has been closed off, and will likely remained closed through Thursday morning. 

“We do not anticipate any water quality problems,” said Frank Moritz, Director of Operations and Ridgewood Water, adding that further water tests will be conducted to insure quality. “The water main never lost any pressure, [and] only one home was affected because the service line was punctured.”

“The domestic service line that was affected has been temporarily bypassed,” said Dave Schiebner, Business Director for Ridgewood Water. “The high voltage static electric line repair will be completed by PSE&G overnight.  The domestic service line will be repaired tomorrow morning.”

Bergen County Hazmat responded to the scene Tuesday night. The state DEP and federal EPA were also notified because the oil reached the storm drains.

Privately, some officials said they’re worried about the impact of the fuel spill. Apart from significant manpower hours spent on the cleanup effort, the impact on the sewer and storm drain systems isn’t yet clear.

Further, said one worker, the mineral oil may damage the integrity of the pavement on N. Monroe, which was paved just a few years ago.

Officials are still investigating what caused the steel pipe to burst.

Original article published at 7:22 p.m. Tuesday:

officials are investigating the source and cause of a fuel spill that's shut down a portion of N. Monroe Ave Tuesday night.

According to Fire Cpt. Robert Kozielski, a resident reported that at about 5 p.m. he noticed a large slick of fuel on the roadway on N. Monroe.

Firefighters quickly mobilized, pouring Speedy Dry to contain the spill, estimated to total about 20-25 gallons. Unfortunately, the currently undetermined substance has entered the storm drains between Fairmont and Jackson Terrace. Because fuel entered the drains, the DEP has been notified, Kozielski said. 

Fire officials are currently awaiting response from the county Hazmat squad. Officials have not yet identified a source for the spill.

N. Monroe between Fairmount and Morningside has been closed by .