Keelung fines TWC NT$500,000 over oil-tainted tap water

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) Keelung's Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) on Monday fined state-run Taiwan Water Corp. (TWC) NT$500,000 (US$15,905) over an oil spill that contaminated the water supply to over 150,000 households.

The city bureau said the fine was imposed under the Drinking Water Management Act for a serious violation that endangered public health and safety.

EPB Director Ma Chung-hao (馬仲豪) said inspectors found that one of the oil-film detectors at TWC's Badu pumping station was malfunctioning, which may have contributed to a delay in detecting the contamination.

The bureau is reviewing whether TWC's equipment and emergency response deviated from its water pollution control plan, Ma said.

EPB personnel arrived at the site within 30 minutes of TWC's report early Thursday, and began implementing pollution-control measures and daily water sampling at the Xinshan Water Treatment Plant, Xinshan Reservoir and other areas, Ma said.

The EPB, police and TWC are continuing to trace the source and will refer the case to prosecutors if any criminal wrongdoing is uncovered, Ma said.

Earlier Monday, Chen Chao-hsien (陳昭賢), deputy director of TWC's First Branch, said the odor was detected around 6 a.m. Thursday.

Of the two oil-film detectors at the Badu intake, one was functioning but failed to detect the spill due to weak early-morning light, while the second had been decommissioned and not yet removed, Chen said, in an apparent response to Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang's (謝國樑) claim that both devices were faulty.

Chen said the odor was first noticed by workers at the Xinshan water treatment plant, prompting an immediate halt to river-water intake and a switch to Xinshan Reservoir. Patrols later found oil patches along the Keelung River.

He added that TWC is evaluating sensors capable of detecting dissolved pollutants and that river intake will remain suspended until the source is confirmed.

Oil traces were found near Chongzhi Bridge, Nuannuan Bridge and the Dingnei gas station, where containment booms have been set up, according to the EPB.

The incident affected about 105,000 households in Keelung and 47,000 in New Taipei's Xizhi District, according to the city government.

Meanwhile, Keelung Mayor Hsieh said the city filed a report with the Keelung District Prosecutors Office on Monday afternoon, which has already opened an investigation.

Hsieh told reporters that the city and the Ministry of Environment are investigating the source of the pollution and have determined that it is likely industrial-grade oil contamination.