Donkelserbaach pollution;
Credit: AGE
The Water Management Administration within Luxembourg's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development has reported a spill of heating oil in the Donkelserbaach stream, located between the Belgian border and Pommerloch and which eventually flows into the Haut-Sure reservoir.
The emergency services were contacted on Monday, shortly before 15:00, and were informed of the presence of hydrocarbons on the stream at Doncols. The Water Management Administration and the Grand Ducal Police were contacted and sent patrols to the site of the spill. The Haute-Sûre Lake pollution control unit of the NRBC Specialist Response Unit, as well as the Winseler Fire and Rescue Centre, were alerted to carry out urgent measures.
The origin of the pollution was traced to Belgium; it was discovered to be a leak from a fuel oil tank in a private house situated on the N15 at the Belgian-Luxembourg border. On the same day, during the afternoon, 5 dams equipped with absorbent cubes were put in place.
The Luxembourg authorities as well as the environmental police department of the Walloon Region are on site and are implementing additional measures to stop pollution at the source.
Given the measures directly implemented at several locations on the day of the pollution, as well as the significant distance to the dam of the Lake Haute-Sûre, the Luxembourg authorities stated that there is no imminent danger for drinking water.
