Between 3,000 and 6,000 gallons of untreated contact water has spilled into the environment from the controversial contaminated soil landfill at Shawnigan Lake.
President of the Shawnigan Lake Residents Association Calvin Cook says last weekend`s rain eroded a sand layer at the top of the landfill causing the leak.
As a result, the Ministry of Environment has issued a pollution-prevention order to the landfill`s operators, ordering the facility to complete a number of upgrades. These include making sure the landfill is completely covered with a weighted impermeable cover, and dig lined trenches if necessary. They also have to install back up systems to store water on site, or take it to another facility.
Cook says the order is only a band-aid, and the only real solution is having the landfill removed.
