Port Angeles residents are breathing a sigh of relief today after a “Do Not Drink” the water order was lifted yesterday after samples tested OK and the water was determined safe to drink. The order was lifted at 5:15 Sunday ending some nine hours of frustration, panic and very long lines were formed at distribution sites for bottled water being passed out to city water customers. 

The Do Not Drink order came after petroleum products entered the Elwha River, the city’s primary source for drinking water, when a fuel tanker truck crashed and landed upside down into Indian Creek that feeds into the Elwha Friday, July 18.   Officials say an estimated 3,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel were released into the river.

At a news briefing at the crash site yesterday Gov. Bob Ferguson praised the rapid and coordinated response to the spill by scores of agencies, including firefighting first responders, the Dept. of Ecology, the Elwha Klallam tribe and many others.

“There’s been a lot of coordination and that’s how it should be. That’s what the people expect – to see different levels of government coordinating, working with tribes, working with individuals.  And that’s certainly been the case today. It has been a response, not just from organizations of governments, but by the people as well. Folks are conserving water to help make the water supply that we have go further. So it’s really been from individuals, to government, to tribes, organizations, businesses have really stepped up in a challenging time.  And I deeply, deeply appreciate that.  And I think that’s one of the things that makes Washington so great. We’re seeing that during these last 48 hours.”

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Chair Frances Charles says their hearts sank when the extent of the crash was known.

”We have worked for decades on restoring the resources of what our ancestors had worked on for many generations to bring back our salmon runs. But unfortunately what has happened in the last 48 hours, our hearts sank. Our hearts sank that day.”

Klallam Tribe Natural Resources Director Nat Burns says the spill killed scores of fish.

“Untold hundreds, perhaps thousands of fish likely have died and were transported down river. Many have been consumed by wildlife.  We don’t know.  We’re going to continue monitor this in the short term and into the long term.”

Meanwhile, Chairwoman Charles says the tribe is continuing to make preparations to host thousands of canoe paddlers at the mouth of the Elwha River at the end of the month.

”We are in the process of a canoe journey event. And we’re not cancelling it. I want to say that again. We are not cancelling it because of what happened. And the theme of the dam removals itself was our theme for the canoe journeys on July 31^st. So, it will move forward as we see fit. Elwha’s waters is OK.  I want to say that again.  Elwha on the tribal land’s water is OK.

The President and CEO of the Petro Card, the company that owns the truck, says the driver of the truck that overturned suffered a medical event, is now at home and has a long recovery ahead.

PHOTO:  Courtesy KIRO TV