URBANDALE, Iowa – A diesel fuel spill was reported to the Iowa DNR on Friday, July 9, around 2:30pm at the Pilot Truck Stop on Douglas Ave.
The Urbandale Fire Department responded to a truck that reportedly hit a diesel fuel dispenser knocking it off of its base. An unknown amount of diesel fuel leaked onto the pavement around the fuel islands. This happened during a severe storm impacting the area with very heavy downpours causing some of the fuel to bypass the oil/water separator intakes and flow into storm sewer drains. These storm sewer drains flow into a wetland that flows into Walnut Creek. It is believed that some of the diesel fuel reached Walnut Creek; however, Clive Fire Department personnel and DNR investigators did not observe any diesel fuel sheen at several checkpoints downstream.
Booms and absorbent materials were deployed on the pavement around the truck stop to soak up any remaining diesel fuel. A local environmental cleanup contractor will be flushing the sewer drains of any remaining diesel fuel and will contain that as well as clean up any remaining areas in the wetland and Walnut Creek area.
The DNR will continue to monitor the situation and determine any appropriate enforcement actions.