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Sheen coats White Rock’s West Beach waters

City investigates substance seen emanating from Oxford Street outflow pipe
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A seagull appears to be investigating a sheen that coated West Beach waters Wednesday afternoon, the foreign substance apparently emanating from the Oxford Street outflow pipe. (Tracy Holmes photo)

The City of White Rock is looking into the cause of a sheen that coated West Beach waters Wednesday afternoon.

Seemingly emanating from the outflow pipe located near the foot of Oxford Street, Peace Arch News was alerted to the substance just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Maurice Cardinal told PAN there was “something really nasty coming out of the pipe.”

Just after 3 p.m., two city workers could be seen lifting manhole covers in the West Beach parking lot adjacent to the Oxford Street treatment plant and peering into the infrastructure.

They confirmed the checks were in connection with the sheen on the water, and that the effort was to determine if the observed substance was something that had infiltrated the water from the city’s side.

Thursday, the city told PAN that staff investigated the area near a stormwater outflow pipe into Semiahmoo Bay after receiving a report of a substance, or a sheen, that appeared to be on the water in the West Beach.

“Whatever substance may have been there — whether manmade or natural — seemed to have dissipated,” the city wrote.

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A City of White Rock worker looks for signs of pollution infiltration Wednesday afternoon, after a sheen was seen coating West Beach waters, apparently emanating from the Oxford Street outflow pipe. (Tracy Holmes photo)
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A seagull stands atop the outflow pipe near the Oxford Street, surrounded by waters that took on a foreign sheen Wednesday, due to a substance apparently emanating from the Oxford Street outflow pipe. (Tracy Holmes photo)


Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
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