Weeks after initial complaints, chemicals still appear to be leaking into Welland River

More than six weeks have passed since local resident Mike Cushman made his initial complaint about an ominous sheen flowing into the Welland River, and it's unclear whether the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is any closer to finding the source of the leak. 

Cushman, one of the locally known environmental advocates who first reported the spill in July, has repeatedly visited the site since first noticing a sharp chemical smell and spotting the oily sheen atop the water; and despite mitigation measures put in place by the MECP, it appears chemicals are still leaching into the river. 

Cushman has been posting consistently on his social media accounts, writing to his elected officials, speaking with representatives from the Ministry, City Hall, and just about anybody and everybody he thinks is in a position to identify the source of the leak and hold those responsible to account. By his own estimate he has visited the site nearly 30 times in the past six weeks.

“Here we are six to seven weeks after this leak was reported and it’s still here, it’s still happening, I come here constantly to check and the sheen still flows. I doubt anybody will ever be held accountable for any of this,” Cushman says, standing at the edge of the Welland River where the source of the leak appears to come from a subterranean pipe south of Don Murie Street—an industrial area that houses a number of businesses that could be the source.

Mike Cushman and Sarah Ward in July tracing the source of the oily substance leaking into the Welland River.

(Ed Smith/The Pointer Files)

According to the MECP, water sampling has identified the substance as some type of lubricant. 

“Inspections of the industries in the area that may influence the storm sewers are on-going,” a Ministry spokesperson told The Pointer.

“The City of Niagara Falls cleaned up the oily material found leaving the municipal storm sewer in July and continues to inspect the sewer system for residual material to attempt to find the source,” the spokesperson added. “The City has retained a contractor to maintain absorbent booms to manage any residual material that may still be caught up in the sewer.  Should a responsible party be found, the Environmental Protection Act has provisions that allow the municipality to recover costs.”

The action only came after dedicated efforts from local environmental advocates like Cushman to repeatedly bring it to the attention of Ministry officials at the Province. 

Local advocates Janet Krowchuk and Sarah Ward filed separate reports to the MECP through its complaint hotline on July 2, and by the next morning Ministry employees were on the site to investigate. 

After this first visit, Ministry staff concluded that if there was a leak somewhere along the river, it could be intermittent in nature; also suggesting the source could have been a boater being careless with fuel. Whatever it was, it appeared to be dissipating.  

Cushman and Ward were not convinced, returning to the site numerous times, taking photographs and videos and sending them to the Ministry in the days that followed. The unmistakable smell and rainbow sheen on the water were getting worse. On July 6, Cushman tracked the oily sheen as far upstream as he could. He reported his findings to the Ministry.

Responding to the photos and reports that continued to come in, and armed with Cushman’s discovery of the potential source, the MECP returned to the site on July 8 and what was described by the Ministry as a “gooey oily blob” was discovered. A hazardous material contractor was dispatched to the site. A large vacuum truck was used to suck up the substance and other surface contamination while an absorbent sock boom was placed at the outfall of the source pipe to hold back and absorb any residual matter moving towards the river. 

When The Pointer visited last week, two workers who identified themselves as being with the MECP were present conducting water sampling. The pair declined to be interviewed. 

Cushman is convinced the leak has not been stopped and points to a sheen that is easily seen on the water. It was observed by The Pointer at the site. He has been encouraged that fieldworkers have been attempting to maintain the berms put in place to absorb contaminants (although he has noticed them sunken, or washed ashore), but is not optimistic about the responsible party being held accountable. 

“Whatever it is, the system is not strong enough to prevent situations like this,” he said. 

Boom socks are supposed to prevent the potentially toxic lubricant that floats on the surface of the water from reaching the Welland River; without proper care they become saturated and sink.

(Mike Cushman)

He refers to a recent warning issued by the federal Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), regarding the discharge from the Niagara Falls wastewater treatment plant. In May, 2024,the MECC issued a written warning to the Niagara Region regarding the Niagara Falls plant. The warning described multiple recent discharges that have surpassed limits for suspended solids with some of the worst examples resulting in 60 percent mortality for fish, or what the MECC described as “the deposit of acutely lethal wastewater effluent”.

Cushman believes such situations warrant more than a simple public notice. There should be requirements for future study and investigation to determine the real impacts of such potentially dangerous discharges. 

In response to questions from The Pointer, a spokesperson for the City of Niagara Falls stated, the City has inspected CCTV footage of storm sewers upstream of where the chemical is leaking into the river in an attempt to trace its source.

“We have been successful in partially tracing the potential discharge up one of the two main trunk storm sewers servicing this (Stanley Avenue) business park; however, our trace is lost shortly upstream in this sewer. The City has also installed filter cloth in curbside catch basins where silt control is required.”  

The spokesperson continued: “It is our understanding that the MECP has also been investigating on private property (as they have this jurisdiction where we do not) to try and determine the source of the potential discharge.”

The oily substance as it was seen on the Welland River in July. It appears the leak has not been stopped.

(Janet Krowchuk)

Cushman is not convinced or comforted by words from authorities any longer, and wants to see fast, effective action when these types of leaks occur. For him, there is a deep personal connection to this type of environmental contamination. 

The 59-year-old has lost his grandmother, his mother, his younger brother and his aunt to cancer, while his sister is currently struggling during her third battle with the disease.  

His family lived in the shadow of the industrial sector of Niagara Falls where prevailing winds blew emissions from General Abrasives and Cyanamid, which he says is responsible for health issues his family members have experienced. 

These types of chemical spills are personal for Cushman. The dozens of follow up inspections, and his repeated communications with Ministry and City staff are all he can do to protect members of his community.

“Does anybody have a problem with this?” he asks in frustration. “Sixty percent of the fish exposed to this effluent die and it only results in a warning?  What does that mean for the birds, the animals that drink the water, the people who eat the fish?”

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