An Island family is facing a hefty environmental cleanup bill after a home heating oil leak, highlighting the potential financial risks associated with oil tank maintenance and the importance of insurance coverage.
An Island family has been handed a $345,915 environmental cleanup bill from the P.E.I. government, more than a year after a full tank of home heating oil leaked into their clay basement and seeped into the soil on their property. Betty and Kenny Waite, both in their late 60s, say they're unable to pay the huge bill. So the government has placed a lien on their home in Sherbrooke, just outside Summerside.
The Waites discovered the leak in September 2023, the morning after their 1,100-litre tank was filled. They believe a hole had developed in the oil filter leading into the tank, which caused the entire tank to empty before it was caught. Crews had to dig out and replace more than 600 metric tonnes of contaminated soil under and around a section of the Waites' home.The Waites reached out to their home insurance provider, assuming they'd be covered for the cost of the cleanup. But their provider informed them they had no coverage. As required by law, the Waites reported the spill to P.E.I.'s environment department. Officials with the department informed them they were required to hire a consultant and arrange for the oil to be cleaned up.Without any insurance coverage, the Waites told the department they couldn't afford to do that. In February, the province issued the Waites an environmental protection order. After they failed to comply, the department took over and hired its own consultant. The cleanup finally took place in June and July 2024, nine months after the spill. Contractors hired by the province dug up and replaced 660 metric tonnes of soil underneath and around a section of the Waites' home. The Waites question whether the department did its due diligence to keep costs down, and why it took so long to start the cleanup. The lien on the Waite's property will be in effect for 10 years, with the option for government to renew it for another 10 years after that
OIL SPILL ENVIRONMENT INSURANCE CLEANUP PEI
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